Millions of Americans seeking popular weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound are turning to telehealth companies like Hims & Hers, which offer cheaper compounded alternatives.
Originally, these compounded medications were intended only to address shortages of brand-name drugs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared the shortage over in 2025, yet telehealth providers continue to sell customized versions at lower prices than pharmaceutical companies charge.
Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy, recently filed a lawsuit against Hims & Hers, accusing the telehealth company of patent infringement. Hims & Hers called the lawsuit a “blatant attack” on Americans who rely on compounded weight-loss medications.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, about one in eight Americans use GLP-1 drugs for weight management, diabetes, or other conditions. Many of these patients face high costs when their insurance does not cover these medications. In response, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have reduced prices for cash-paying customers. These drugs can also be purchased via telehealth portals, retailers like Costco and Sam’s Club, and the Trump administration’s TrumpRx direct-to-consumer drug sales platform.
Legal Action and FDA Enforcement
Novo Nordisk sued Hims & Hers on February 9, shortly after the company announced plans to sell a pill version of Wegovy at an introductory price of $49 per month. Hims & Hers quickly abandoned those plans after the FDA warned of potential enforcement action.
Novo Nordisk officials said the telehealth provider’s attempt to sell a compounded Wegovy pill was unjustified, as there was never a shortage of the oral version. “There’s no excuse. There’s no claim that it’s arising out of a shortage,” said John Kuckelman, Novo Nordisk’s group general counsel. “It was outrageous…a direct challenge to the entire drug approval framework in the United States.”
Hims & Hers continues to offer injectable GLP-1 medications and emphasized that treating obesity requires “precision and personalization.” The company claims its GLP-1 customers represent a small portion of its 2.5 million subscribers.
Wegovy’s Market and Competition
Wegovy is the only FDA-approved oral GLP-1 obesity pill, giving Novo Nordisk exclusive rights to sell this form of the drug. During its launch, more than 50,000 prescriptions of oral Wegovy were filled weekly, with nine out of ten customers paying cash. The pill version starts at $149 per month, about $200 less than the injectable alternative.
Competition is growing, as Eli Lilly’s weight-loss pill, orforglipron, may receive FDA approval in April. Analysts expect rising competition to drive prices down further. Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have cut prices for cash-paying customers: Wegovy and most Ozempic doses now cost $349 per month, while Zepbound single-dose vials range from $299 to $399 per month.
Safety Concerns and Compounding Debate
Federal regulators have also pressured compounding pharmacies. After Hims & Hers announced plans for the Wegovy pill, the FDA warned that companies using GLP-1 ingredients for mass-market compounded drugs would face “decisive steps” to protect consumers. Health and Human Services referred Hims & Hers to the Justice Department for potential violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Novo Nordisk reported that compounded injectable Wegovy contained impurities up to 86%, while compounded pills had impurities as high as 75%. The company emphasized that even small impurities can impact drug safety and effectiveness. In contrast, FDA-approved medications undergo rigorous testing to ensure quality and efficacy.
Hims & Hers defended its practices, stating that ingredients are sourced from FDA-registered factories and tested for impurities. Other experts, like Dr. Michael Snyder, an obesity specialist, noted that compounding pharmacies can be helpful for patients who cannot tolerate standard doses, but warned that the GLP-1 weight-loss market has become a “Wild West.”
“Patients need more than a weight-loss pill to control a disease such as obesity,” Snyder said. “Too many companies are selling these drugs without adequate medical oversight. My job is to keep people in the lane of reasonable weight loss. I can make anyone lose a ton of weight, but doing it healthfully takes work.”
