Last week, the FTC filed a lawsuit against telehealth company Hims & Hers for allegedly disclosing private health information to third parties and engaging in shady subscription practices. Gizmodo filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FTC for consumer complaints against the company, which help give an idea of just how prevalent these practices are. Hims & Hers sells both prescription and over-the-counter medications for conditions like hair loss, obesity, erectile dysfunction, as well as mental health issues. The company also connects patients with health professionals who can advise them on the drugs they take. But some customers allege some major issues. The FTC told Gizmodo it has over 4,800 complaints related to Hims & Hers filed over the past five years, though only 200 redacted complaints were released for review. The most common complaints involve consumers who say they were charged for subscription services they didn’t want and were denied a refund when they asked for one.
Other complaints involve a lack of real medical advice when getting a prescription. And many people complained that they were unable to reach customer support. People who were eventually able to connect with a customer service representative tell of still being unable to cancel unwanted subscriptions, even when drugs hadn’t shipped yet.
