Traditional medical practices are getting a boost from newcomers looking to fill gaps in what health care industry leaders on Monday called a lagging health care system.
These include Hims & Hers, a direct-to-consumer health care company that announced Monday it will launch a combination version of the weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic that starts at $199 a month, 85% less than the brand-name versions brands manufactured by Novo Nordisk. The two drugs are part of a group of so-called GLP-1 drugs that were approved to treat diabetes but have become extremely popular for weight loss.
The move comes as the company focuses on personalization and customer choice, seeking to improve what has traditionally been a “paternalistic” medical system, said Dr. Patrick Carroll, chief medical officer of Hims & Hers, in LuckBrainstorm Health Conference.
In the past, doctors dictated many aspects of a person’s health, which doesn’t mesh well with the freedom of choice patients expect from their healthcare today, Dr. Carroll said.
“You can’t solve this $4.5 trillion health care mess using traditional health care delivery models,” he said.
Hims & Hers adapts to today’s patients by publishing symptom-based content that educates people and helps attract them to the company’s platform. In this way, the company aims to reach those who use Google or social media as their first resource for medical issues.
“It’s very different from what it was 20 or even 10 years ago, but it’s a model for the future,” Carroll said. “People are looking for answers on the Internet.”
While Carroll acknowledged that the $199 price tag for the company’s new product is still too high for some customers, he emphasized that Hims & Hers’ new GLP-1 weight loss drug uses the same active ingredient as name-brand drugs, thanks in part to the partnership with a company. with a generic drug company that he did not name.
Hims & Hers’ efforts to bring the weight-loss drug to market reflect increased demand for name-brand versions that has Novo Nordisk and other manufacturers such as Eli Lilly looking to expand production.
Although Wegovy and Ozempic are protected by patents, US regulators allow pharmacies to produce complex versions drugs that are in short supply, but the Food and Drug Administration does not test the safety of versions of the drugs that are produced locally. In January statementThe agency warned people against using complex forms of weight-loss drugs when FDA-approved versions are available.
However, compounded versions of weight loss drugs have gained popularity among consumers as they supply reputed brand versions. limited.