Novo Nordisk Opens Wegovy to Telehealth, Sending Hims & Hers Shares Soaring

Imagine dialing up your doctor for a weight-loss prescription as easily as ordering takeout. That’s essentially the new reality for Wegovy, Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster obesity drug, which is now being offered through telehealth platforms. In late April 2025, Novo Nordisk announced it would partner with telemedicine companies to sell Wegovy directly to consumers . This news set the stock market abuzz, and shares of Hims & Hers – a telehealth company – shot up dramatically, rocketing as much as 40% intraday and eventually closing the day roughly 18% higher. What’s going on here? Let’s unpack the details of this landmark deal, why it’s a game-changer for weight-loss drugs, and how it fueled a surge in Hims & Hers’ stock.

Background on Wegovy and Novo Nordisk

Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide in a high-dose injection form, developed by Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk. It’s a GLP-1 receptor agonist originally used to treat diabetes (as Ozempic), but repurposed for weight management. By mimicking a gut hormone, semaglutide curbs appetite and can result in dramatic weight loss for many patients. Wegovy was approved by the FDA in 2021 and has since become the hot weight-loss drug on the market.

Novo Nordisk has long been a leader in diabetes and obesity meds. Its portfolio includes insulin and drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, and it has ridden the surge in demand for GLP-1 therapies. Think of Novo Nordisk as the blockbuster-maker in the obesity drug industry; Wegovy’s success has boosted its revenues and market cap. Now, by tapping telehealth to sell Wegovy, Novo is aiming to expand access even more.

Meanwhile, Wegovy and similar drugs are at the heart of a major trend: a GLP-1 boom. These medications (semaglutide and tirzepatide being the main ones) have become extremely popular. In fact, surveys suggest that over 137 million U.S. adults could be eligible for GLP-1 drugs for weight loss or related conditions. That’s roughly 40% of the adult population! With such a huge potential market, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers are scrambling to meet demand.

However, these drugs were in short supply for a while – so much so that regulators put Wegovy and Ozempic on a shortage list earlier in 2025. Compounding pharmacies had been filling the gap by making unbranded copies (off-label mixes of semaglutide). But in February 2025, the FDA said supply was sufficient and removed them from the shortage list . That regulatory change set off a chain reaction: without the shortage, those cheaper compounding operations lost their special protections. This left companies like Hims & Hers, which had been selling compounded GLP-1 injections, scrambling for a new plan. It also opened the door for Novo Nordisk to insist on direct sales of the official drug. The partnership that followed was, in part, Novo Nordisk’s way to ensure its legitimate Wegovy product gets to patients instead of just generic copies.

Rise of Telehealth in Healthcare

Over the past several years, telemedicine has exploded. If you had told people a decade ago that you could talk to a doctor over a video call, get a prescription electronically, and have meds delivered to your door, they might have scratched their heads. Now it’s commonplace. Telehealth was turbocharged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has proven its worth in non-emergency care too. From mental health therapy sessions to routine check-ups, more and more healthcare is happening virtually.

Why? Convenience and access. No commuting, no waiting rooms, and often more flexible hours. For patients in rural areas or with mobility issues, a video consult can be a lifeline. For providers, it means a broader reach. It's as if the healthcare system has added a new digital highway – and many specialists and generalists are happily driving on it.

In parallel, telehealth has expanded beyond consultations into things like digital pharmacies and remote prescribing. Companies have built platforms that connect consumers with licensed clinicians for a range of needs – hair loss, sexual health, mental wellness, and now, obesity and weight-loss management. This means that if you want, say, a prescription for a skin cream or antidepressants, you might just fill out an online form, talk to a clinician on your laptop, and get the product shipped to your home. It’s a new frontier of healthcare delivery.

However, some doctors worry about the downsides. Critics argue that not every medication or patient should be handled remotely. But the data show more people are okay with it: one survey noted that only 18% of primary care doctors felt uneasy about patients using third-party telehealth services for GLP-1 weight-loss treatment . In other words, telemedicine for this category is becoming relatively mainstream.

Hims & Hers Health Inc.: A Telehealth Success Story

So where does Hims & Hers Health Inc. (NYSE: HIMS) come in? Hims & Hers is a consumer telehealth platform that started with a focus on men’s sexual health (the name “Hims” comes from “hims” in contrast to “her” products). Over time, it expanded to women’s health and general wellness, offering everything from hair-loss treatments to supplements to anxiety care. Think of it as a one-stop online clinic and pharmacy.

The company’s mission is, in a word, accessibility – making healthcare easier to obtain. They run an app and website where customers fill out questionnaires, consult virtually, and receive prescriptions or wellness products by mail. Originally it was quite “bro-tech” – very Silicon Valley-esque: low price points, slick branding, and direct-to-consumer delivery. Hims & Hers also offered lots of compounded medications. For example, when Wegovy was in shortage, they sold compounded versions of semaglutide injections – essentially mixing the active drug themselves – to meet demand.

In early 2025, Hims & Hers was preparing for a changing landscape. With official Wegovy back in supply, the compounding loophole would soon close. So, at the end of March, Hims & Hers announced it would start offering Eli Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide) too . This was a strategic move: by widening its portfolio of weight-loss drugs, the company aimed to keep attracting customers who were hunting for prescriptions. It signaled that Hims & Hers was serious about the weight-loss market, not just fringe health products.

Yet despite these efforts, the stock had taken a hit. In fact, by February 2025 Hims & Hers shares had slumped about 40% from previous highs . Why? Primarily because the removal of Wegovy from the shortage list meant the company’s cheap compounded semaglutide business was threatened. In the eyes of investors, Hims & Hers needed a new strategy to regain momentum – and that’s where the April telehealth deal comes in.

The Wegovy Telehealth Deal

On April 29, 2025, Novo Nordisk dropped the bombshell: it would work with telehealth platforms Hims & Hers, Ro, and LifeMD to sell Wegovy directly to cash-paying patients . In other words, you could now get an official Wegovy prescription through your next telemedicine visit on these services. It’s like a genie in a bottle: Novo is releasing Wegovy beyond traditional doctor’s offices and into the virtual care world.

Here are the key details of the deal:

• Bundled Offering: Hims & Hers said Americans will have access to all dose strengths of Wegovy through its platform. You aren’t limited to just the introductory dose or a single vial. It’s the full Wegovy menu. And it’s bundled with a subscription/membership, giving patients ongoing telehealth support.

• Pricing: Hims & Hers announced a “single, unified price” starting at $599 per month for Wegovy. Meanwhile, partner Ro (and another platform LifeMD) are offering it for $499 per month . By comparison, retail Wegovy often costs well over $1,000 per month without insurance. This pricing is possible because Novo Nordisk is essentially allowing these telehealth companies to use its NovoCare pharmacy program, which provides Wegovy at a discounted cash price.

• Accessibility: This week-long rollout means that once you qualify and have a consult, your Wegovy can be prescribed immediately. According to Novo’s U.S. operations VP Dave Moore, this move is “a very clear message that we have full supply of Wegovy…all doses are available,” (i.e. forget the shortage rumors).

• Collaboration Roadmap: Both companies spoke of building a longer-term “roadmap” of services combining Novo’s drug expertise with Hims & Hers’ reach. This suggests there could be more bundled offerings in the future – perhaps periodic doctor check-ins, nutrition coaching, or other support alongside the prescription.

To visualize this, imagine the weight-loss treatment process being re-imagined like an app subscription. A customer logs in to Hims & Hers or Ro, picks Wegovy as part of their health plan, pays a flat monthly fee, and receives their injection and medical guidance – all without a single in-person clinic visit. It’s as if they “Uberized” obesity care.

This telehealth path is new territory for Wegovy. Previously, if a patient wanted Wegovy, they’d need a visit with a brick-and-mortar doctor or endocrinologist, insurance approval, and then pick up the drug at a specialty pharmacy. Now, for the cash-paying crowd, those steps are streamlined. It’s a shift like moving from renting DVDs at Blockbuster to streaming movies on demand – instantaneous and digital-first.

Market Reaction and Stock Surge

The market absolutely loved the news. Shares of Hims & Hers exploded upwards immediately after the announcement. By midday on the news release day, HIMS stock was up over 40% . That’s the kind of one-day move that sends Reddit traders into paroxysms. (For context, a 40% jump would make any stock chart look like the Empire State Building sideways.)

Why such a spike? Investors saw it as a huge win for Hims & Hers’ business model. Remember, the stock had been languishing after the Wegovy shortage issue. This deal basically solved their biggest hurdle: access to the official drug. Now, Hims & Hers wasn’t going to be stuck with only generic copies at risk – they would officially sell Wegovy with Novo’s blessing. That legitimization was huge.

Even after the initial euphoria, the stock maintained much of its gains. Various reports noted that Hims & Hers shares ultimately closed up about 18% on that news (a strong finish even if less than the intraday peak). (LifeMD’s stock also jumped similarly, since they were part of the rollout.) Bloomberg and CNBC headlines on April 29 emphasized this exact point: “Hims & Hers shares rocket 18% on news...” (a testament to the magnitude)

Analysts chimed in too. Some pointed out that bundling Wegovy at $599 a month (slightly above Novo’s own $499 pharmacy program) is a compelling offer – enough to attract self-paying patients who were paying full price before. Others noted that this partnership essentially gives Hims & Hers a new, legal revenue stream that’s massive in potential. Remember, Wegovy was a billion-dollar drug; tapping telehealth opens up a whole new sales channel. In stock-market terms, that’s like finding a hidden oil well on company property.

To put some color on the numbers: If a telehealth platform signed up, say, 10,000 customers at $599 each per month (not impossible given demand), that’s nearly $7.2 million in monthly revenue or over $86 million a year from just one product! No wonder traders got excited. Even if only a fraction of their user base takes Wegovy, the lift to Hims & Hers’s business model is substantial.

For context, this isn’t an isolated fluke. The idea of telehealth selling major drugs caught on quickly. A Reuters summary headline literally said, “Hims & Hers shares surge over 40% on Wegovy pact with Novo Nordisk”. CNBC’s version noted “Hims & Hers shares rocket 18%” in one breath. It was big news in financial media. The take-home: opening Wegovy to telehealth was massive for HIMS’s valuation.

Consumer Impact: Accessibility and Affordability

What does all this mean for the average person trying to lose weight? In practical terms, easier access and clear pricing. For many patients, the two biggest hurdles were finding a willing prescriber and affording the drug. This telehealth deal knocks down both barriers.

• Easier Access: Now, people who have telehealth memberships (or even new sign-ups) on Hims & Hers, Ro, or LifeMD can directly ask for Wegovy. You don’t need a local endocrinologist or weight-loss clinic referral. Many Americans already trust these platforms for other health needs, so it’s a familiar process. The paperwork is largely digital, and there’s less chance of being denied by insurance gatekeepers (since this is a cash-pay model). It’s almost like ordering another subscription service.

• Bundled Healthcare: At a unified price, patients get the drug plus telehealth support. Hims & Hers’ model likely means you pay $599 and you get the injection (from a mail-order pharmacy) plus monthly check-ins with medical staff. Think of it as Netflix-for-weight-loss, where your monthly fee covers multiple episodes of doctor oversight. This bundling can help patients stay on track, because the platform can nudge them, send reminders, or adjust doses over time.

• Cost Transparency: One gripe about weight-loss drugs was always “how much will it really cost me?” With this telehealth path, the price is set (e.g. $599 or $499). There’s no surprise pharmacy markup or confusing insurance codes. Patients know the upfront monthly cost. That said, it’s still a lot of money out of pocket. But it’s at least comparable to the best reduced cash price (Novo’s own program) and lower than standard retail. For people without insurance coverage of the drug, this can be a relief knowing the exact number.

• Choice of Doses: Because all dose strengths of Wegovy are offered, patients can step up or down in dosage without switching programs. This flexibility is important in weight management plans.

One caveat: Most insurance plans don’t automatically cover these telehealth transactions, since they’re considered direct-to-consumer. So the patient must be ready to pay cash. That makes this channel more appealing to those who are already paying cash for GLP-1 drugs or whose insurance is giving them trouble. On the other hand, by expanding supply to telehealth, ultimately the hope is that insurance companies will see this as growing evidence of demand and may become more willing to cover these therapies.

Industry Implications

The Novo Nordisk-Hims partnership is a big canary in the coal mine for how weight-loss medications will be sold going forward. It signals a few potential shifts:

• Telehealth as a GLP-1 Sales Channel: Traditionally, drugmakers rely on doctors’ offices and insurance networks. But if telemedicine platforms drive significant volume, that could become a major avenue for all similar drugs. (You can see Eli Lilly thinking the same way: they already work with Hims & Hers and Ro to offer their own obesity injection, Zepbound .) In effect, Big Pharma is acknowledging that telehealth platforms are where many consumers are now seeking care.

• Competitive Dynamics: Lilly’s Zepbound (tirzepatide) is a direct competitor to Wegovy. Both Novo and Lilly want the first-mover advantage in telehealth. Lilly even has its own pricing: its telehealth partners are offering Zepbound at $1,899/month (as of April), which is higher than Wegovy’s telehealth price. It will be interesting to watch if Lilly adjusts that in response. This is like a price war on a new frontier.

• Innovation in Healthcare Delivery: If successful, we might see more “Google meets weight loss” services. Telehealth companies could bundle dietitian support, wearable integration, or community forums alongside prescriptions. From the doctors’ perspective, this is also a form of task shifting – simpler follow-ups for medication can be handled remotely, freeing up in-person clinics for complex cases.

• Broader Telehealth Growth: This deal may encourage telehealth firms to seek other blockbuster drugs. Imagine a future where certain chronic therapies (like cholesterol meds, diabetes insulins, even some biologics) come with a telehealth package. The model proved itself – the stock markets reacted strongly just on the news. That will attract more venture dollars and corporate partnerships to the space.

• Regulatory and Insurance Evolution: Pushing so much drug through telehealth may also prompt regulators and insurers to respond. Will state medical boards adjust rules on prescribing controlled or injectable drugs remotely? Will insurance companies find ways to reimburse telehealth prescriptions? These are open questions, but the trend will certainly pressure the system to adapt.

In essence, the telehealth opening for Wegovy foreshadows a healthcare world where convenient, digital-first care is the norm for weight management. It’s a bit like moving from snail mail to email; once patients experience the convenience, it’s hard to go back.

Potential Challenges and Criticisms

As exciting as this all sounds, it’s not without worries.

• Supply Chain Strain: Novo Nordisk claims there’s enough Wegovy for everyone, but demand keeps growing. If telehealth programs suddenly add tens of thousands of new patients, could we see shortages again? Novo assures us that “full supply” is available, but these production forecasts can be hard to trust. Rapid spikes in demand (like from viral TikTok diet trends) have already caused stress on the system.

• Oversight and Safety: Critics will ask: is it safe to prescribe high-dose weight-loss injections remotely? What if patients have side effects like nausea or pancreatitis? Telehealth firms say they have protocols (screening questionnaires, trained clinicians, follow-up calls). But it’s not the same as seeing someone in person. The FDA and medical boards will be watching closely. The survey of doctors mentioned earlier reflects a bit of that unease: only 18% of doctors were comfortable with third-party telehealth prescribing GLP-1s. Patients should ensure they’re honest on their intake forms and maintain good communication.

• Continuity of Care: If someone gets Wegovy through Hims & Hers but also sees an endocrinologist separately, there’s a risk of fragmented care. Ideally, patients would coordinate and inform all their providers about new prescriptions. Telehealth companies may need to integrate with primary care to avoid gaps.

• Ethical Concerns: Telemedicine-savvy startups often get criticized for “easy access” potentially leading to overuse of medications. Weight-loss drugs are powerful, but not miracle cures. They require lifestyle changes too. There’s a risk some people might treat them as candy – and that raises ethical questions about marketing, patient responsibility, and so on.

Despite these challenges, most observers are cautiously optimistic that the benefits outweigh the risks. The model has worked for other medications (like birth control pills via telehealth), so the hope is Wegovy will too.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, this is likely just the opening act of a new play. Telehealth companies will undoubtedly analyze the Hims & Hers-Novo deal closely. If Hims & Hers significantly grows its subscriber base or revenues from this, competitors will follow. Already, Ro and LifeMD are on board, and others could join or form similar pacts.

Hims & Hers in particular may look to broaden even further. They teased bundling all "innovative treatments" with consumer-friendly pricing. That could mean adding nutritionist subscriptions, fitness coaching, or cognitive behavior therapy apps to their weight-loss programs. It might also mean going international eventually, or expanding into other categories of chronic disease management via telehealth.

From the pharmaceutical side, Novo Nordisk will be watching to see if this strategy pays off in terms of higher sales. If patient numbers on the NovoCare program increase, they might roll out other drugs this way. In fact, Novo is also looking at self-injectable insulin and heart-disease drugs – telehealth could play a role there too.

One big question is how insurance will respond. If telehealth becomes a major channel for these drugs, insurance companies might negotiate with platforms, or even sponsor subscriptions for certain patients. That could dramatically widen access beyond cash-paying customers. We might see insurers creating special telehealth tiers for obesity management – and that would be a very mainstreaming move.

In short, the telehealth highway is now open for Wegovy, and Hims & Hers is the first car zooming down it. Others will be lining up behind.

Conclusion

The decision by Novo Nordisk to open up Wegovy to telehealth marks a turning point in how weight-loss drugs reach patients. By partnering with platforms like Hims & Hers, the company tapped into the booming trend of virtual healthcare, making its top-selling medication more accessible to thousands of new patients. This strategic move not only underscored Novo’s confidence in its supply – but also turbocharged the stock price of Hims & Hers, whose shares surged in response.

For consumers, the benefits are clear: simpler access, transparent pricing, and bundled care under one digital roof. For the industry, it’s a signal that telehealth is becoming a mainstream route for chronic therapies. We’re likely to see more drugmakers and tech companies exploring similar deals.

However, challenges remain: ensuring supply keeps pace, maintaining patient safety in remote care, and eventually integrating this new model with traditional healthcare systems. If those hurdles can be managed, though, the result could be a dramatic improvement in how many people get help with obesity and related health issues.

In the end, this story isn’t just about a stock price jump; it’s about a paradigm shift. It’s like turning on the GPS for a new highway – and once it’s opened, countless drivers (patients) can travel faster and farther toward their health goals. Only time will tell how many will take this route, but one thing is clear: the telehealth road for Wegovy is now open, and Hims & Hers just got a big green light.

FAQs

Q: What exactly is Wegovy, and how does it work for weight loss?
A: Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide in a high-dose injectable form, made by Novo Nordisk. It belongs to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. When injected, semaglutide mimics a hormone that helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. In practice, that means it can make patients feel fuller and reduce hunger, leading to significant weight loss over time. Clinical trials have shown patients on Wegovy losing substantial amounts of weight compared to lifestyle changes alone. It’s FDA-approved for chronic weight management in people with obesity or overweight with related health issues.

Q: Who is Hims & Hers Health, and why did its stock jump so much?
A: Hims & Hers is a publicly traded telehealth company (ticker HIMS) that offers online consultations and sells prescription treatments directly to consumers, covering areas like hair loss, sexual wellness, mental health, and more. Its stock jumped dramatically because the company announced it will start selling Wegovy through its platform as part of a partnership with Novo Nordisk. This means Hims & Hers can now legally offer an official version of this blockbuster weight-loss drug (at a set monthly price) to patients, which was a huge boost to its business outlook. Investors had already been worried when Wegovy was removed from shortage (limiting Hims & Hers’ ability to sell cheaper copies), so this telehealth deal gave them confidence in future revenues. That’s why HIMS stock spiked on the news.

Q: How will the Wegovy telehealth program work for patients?
A: Under the new program, patients can access Wegovy through participating telemedicine services (like Hims & Hers, Ro, LifeMD) by signing up for a telehealth consultation. If approved by a clinician, the patient pays a monthly fee and gets Wegovy shipped to them. Hims & Hers, for example, is charging about $599 per month for a bundled membership that includes all doses of Wegovy. (Ro and LifeMD offer it at a slightly lower $499 per month.) Essentially, the patient enters into a subscription with the telehealth platform. They typically fill out health forms, have a video visit, and then receive regular follow-ups from medical staff – all remotely. It’s important to note this is aimed at cash-paying patients (those paying out-of-pocket) rather than through insurance.

Q: Does this mean Wegovy is cheaper or covered by insurance now?
A: Not automatically. The telehealth programs are cash-pay models, which means patients pay the list price (or the discounted rate set by Novo’s program) without insurance. The monthly prices ($499 or $599) are discounted compared to Wegovy’s full retail price (which can be over $1,000 a month). Novo Nordisk had a NovoCare program that offered Wegovy for $499 to eligible cash customers even at regular pharmacies , and this telehealth program extends that pricing to these platforms. Insurance coverage is a separate issue. Some insurers might eventually cover telehealth prescriptions, especially if demand is high, but initially, patients should plan to pay out-of-pocket at the listed price.

Q: Are other drug companies doing similar things with telehealth?
A: Yes. The big trend is that companies making GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are partnering with telehealth companies. For instance, Eli Lilly – Novo’s main competitor in obesity drugs – has made deals to sell its weight-loss injection Zepbound through the same channels. In fact, Lilly’s telehealth partners are already offering Zepbound to consumers (at around $1,899 per month). The idea is similar: use telemedicine platforms to reach more patients directly. We can expect other therapies (like diabetes drugs) and other telehealth providers to join the game. In short, this is not a one-off – it’s part of a broader shift towards using telehealth for prescription medication distribution.