It’s no secret that weight-loss medications, particularly those of the injectable variety, are in high demand. Without insurance, they’re also costly. Wegovy (semaglutide) has a list price of $1,349.02 for a four-week supply. Competitor Zepbound (tirzepatide) is a smidge cheaper at $1,086.37. And as these drugs are FDA-approved for chronic weight management, they’re meant to be taken indefinitely. Even if your insurance covers the bulk of the expenses, you may have to jump through prior authorization hoops.
Telehealth company Hims & Hers has had enough—and is putting its money where its mouth is in the form of its first Super Bowl ad, called “Sick of the System.” The minute-long commercial is abrasive, even chaotic, which is presumably the point. Set to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” a takedown of gun violence and systemic racism, the third-quarter big game slot, in no uncertain terms, accuses the pharmaceutical industry of price-gouging weight-loss drugs, thereby fueling the obesity crisis.
