The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from seven states have sued telehealth provider Hims & Hers Health Inc., alleging that the company shared consumers’ sensitive health information with advertisers and used misleading billing and cancellation practices. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Friday that Wisconsin had joined the complaint.
The case concerns the company known as Hims. The FTC and state officials allege that Hims sent consumers’ health information to Meta, Snap and other third parties even after representing that the information would remain private. The allegations involve data connected to consumers’ health, which officials said requires particular care because of its sensitivity.
“Folks should be able to rely on representations that their privacy will be protected. And it’s particularly important that they be able to do so with respect to sensitive information about their health.” — Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul
What the complaint alleges
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the complaint also challenges how Hims presented prescription purchases to prospective customers. The FTC and states allege that the company did not clearly disclose that it would charge consumers for prescriptions almost immediately after they submitted an intake form.
The officials say Hims told customers they could consult with a medical provider to determine which treatment was appropriate for them. The complaint alleges that the company’s billing disclosures did not clearly explain the timing of the prescription charges in that process.
The complaint further alleges that Hims made it difficult for customers to cancel subscriptions. A subscription is a recurring arrangement under which a consumer continues to receive and pay for a service or product unless it is canceled. The officials’ claims about cancellation are part of the broader consumer-protection case, rather than a final court finding.
| Parties and claims | Details reported by officials |
|---|---|
| Federal agency | Federal Trade Commission |
| States named | Wisconsin, Arizona, California, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and Utah |
| Alleged conduct | Sharing health information, unclear prescription billing and difficult subscription cancellations |
| Requested relief | Permanent injunction, restitution, civil forfeitures and costs |
What the governments are seeking
The FTC and the states are seeking a permanent injunction, a court order intended to stop conduct that the governments say violates the law. They are also seeking restitution for affected consumers, meaning payments intended to return money consumers allegedly lost, along with civil forfeitures and costs.
The complaint alleges violations of consumer-protection laws in Wisconsin, Arizona, California, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio and Utah, as well as federal law. The filing is an allegation, and the claims have not been established by a court. The announced action puts both the company’s handling of sensitive health information and its consumer billing practices before federal and state enforcers.
- The FTC and attorneys general from seven states accuse Hims of sharing health information with Meta, Snap and other third parties.
- The complaint alleges that prescription charges were not clearly disclosed after consumers submitted an intake form.
- Government officials are seeking an injunction, consumer restitution, civil forfeitures and costs.
