GLP-1 TV · News & media · views checked Oct 2026
Dr. Scott Gottlieb on Novo Nordisk vs. Hims & Hers: We have a drug approval process for a reason
News & media
Our summary
CNBC's hosts talk with Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a CNBC contributor and former FDA commissioner, about the dispute between Novo Nordisk and Hims & Hers over an oral GLP-1 pill. Gottlieb explains that Hims & Hers said it had made a version of oral semaglutide that uses a different delivery technology, which he describes as a liposomal formulation. Novo's pill relies on patented technology it bought from Amunix, which he says lets about 2% of the drug be absorbed. If the Hims & Hers version is a new technology, he says, it is an unapproved new drug.
General education as published by the channel. Not medical advice, and not an endorsement.
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What else the video covers
Gottlieb points out that the Department of Health and Human Services general counsel referred the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) from the start, rather than the FDA first sending a warning letter. He says he can only speculate, but that this usually points to a plan to go to court, for example for an injunction, a restraining order or a seizure. He argues the drug has never been tested and that a pharmacy license should not let a company market novel formulations directly to consumers. He says Hims & Hers has pushed the line while regulators were permissive, contrasts it with Ro, and expects the pill will not be sold and that drug makers will not partner with Hims & Hers. He adds that there are both civil and criminal penalties and possible consumer fraud issues with the FTC. He also describes how Lilly and Novo are building direct-to-patient channels and partnering with telehealth firms such as Ro.
In the last part, Gottlieb discusses his Washington Post op-ed on viruses and vaccines, including his own EBV-linked B-cell lymphoma, and says vaccine research funding and investment are pulling back.
Our summary of what is said, in our words. Doses, results and prices are the speaker’s, not advice.
Takeaways
The main points, in the order they come up. Tap a time to play from there.
- 0:30 Gottlieb says Hims & Hers claimed a comparable oral semaglutide made with a different, liposomal technology, which would make it an unapproved new drug if true.
- 1:30 He notes that HHS referred the matter to DOJ at the outset and speculates this signals possible court action such as an injunction, restraining order or seizure.
- 2:31 He argues the product is untested and that the drug approval process exists to ensure drugs are safe and effective.
- 3:02 He says Hims & Hers has pushed the line while regulators were permissive, and contrasts it with Ro, which he describes as more compliant.
- 3:33 He expects Hims & Hers will not be allowed to sell the pill, that drug makers are unlikely to partner with it, and that civil and criminal penalties are possible.
- 4:36 He explains that Lilly and Novo are discounting and using direct-to-patient and telehealth channels, including partnerships with compliant firms like Ro.
Key moments
From the creator's own chapters. Tap one to play from there.
What the video says
As stated in the video, not checked by us. Doses and results are the speaker’s, not advice.
- Who is speaking
- News or media
In their words
"we have a drug approval process for a reason"
Questions this video answers
Why did Novo Nordisk and Hims & Hers clash over an oral GLP-1 pill?
According to Gottlieb, Hims & Hers announced a pill it said was comparable to Novo's oral semaglutide but made with a different, liposomal technology. He says Novo's pill uses patented absorption technology, so a different method would make the Hims & Hers version an unapproved new drug.
Why would HHS refer the Hims & Hers matter to the DOJ?
Gottlieb says an initial DOJ referral, instead of an FDA warning letter or investigation, usually means an agency wants to go to court. He lists an injunction, a temporary restraining order or a seizure as possible reasons, while stressing this is speculation.
Will Hims & Hers be able to sell the oral semaglutide pill?
Gottlieb says he does not think they will be allowed to sell it, and suspects that is why it was withdrawn quickly. He also doubts any pharmaceutical company will cut a deal with them.
How are Lilly and Novo selling GLP-1 drugs through telehealth?
Gottlieb says the companies are discounting and looking for different channels to reach consumers. Lilly has Lilly Direct, and partnering with a telehealth company like Ro is another channel if it is done in a compliant way.
Videos on the same question
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🚨 Hims launches GLP-1 pill, Novo Nordisk threatens to sue!!! (emergency pod with Cremieux)In this episode of Hims House, host Jonathan Stern talks with Cremieux, a bioinformatician who posts about GLP-1s, about Hims launching a compounded oral semaglutide pill and Novo Nordisk's threat to sue.
Semaglutide Wars: Novo Sues Hims over Patent InfringementThe host of On The Pen says a lot happened in the three days before this February 9, 2026 live stream.
Novo Nordisk CEO on Hims Suit, Wegovy Demand and PricingIn this Bloomberg Television interview, the Novo Nordisk chief executive responds to questions about Hims & Hers, the company's 2026 outlook, its oral Wegovy pill and its search for acquisitions.
HIMS: Compound Semaglutide OUT, Branded InThe host of On The Pen opens this March 9 live stream with news that Novo Nordisk and Hims & Hers have reached a deal.
About CNBC Television
News & media, 3.4M subscribers. 9 of their videos are in GLP-1 TV, 160K views between them, mostly on Ozempic, Wegovy, Wegovy pill.
- Ozempic & Wegovy may be linked to eye condition, vision loss: Study
- New study reveals why patients stop taking GLP-1 obesity drugs
- Dr. Craig Primack talks Hims & Hers launching its own GLP-1 offering as demand rises
Read next
Our guides closest to what this video covers, with prices checked weekly.
- Is compounded semaglutide safe? What FDA actually says, and what it does not
Compounded semaglutide is the same molecule as Wegovy and Ozempic, made by a licensed pharmacy rather than Novo Nordisk, and it is lawful. What it is not is FDA-approved: in FDA's words, the agency "does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed". FDA's published concerns are specific, and none of them is that the molecule is different. They are dosing errors from self-measured vials, products shipped warm, fraudulent labels naming pharmacies that never made them, and doses above the approved label. Each is checkable before you buy, and this page shows how.
- 503A vs 503B pharmacies: who makes compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, and how to check yours
A 503A pharmacy is a state-licensed pharmacy that compounds one prescription for one named patient, overseen mainly by its state board of pharmacy. A 503B outsourcing facility registers with FDA, follows the same manufacturing rules as drug factories (cGMP), is inspected by FDA and may make batches without a prescription. Since the shortages ended in 2025, both face tight limits on copying semaglutide and tirzepatide. FDA's records show 19 registered 503B facilities reported a compounded GLP-1 in the last two years.
- Compounded semaglutide vs Wegovy: same molecule, different rules, and what the price gap buys
Same molecule, not the same product: Wegovy is FDA-approved and $349/mo from Novo; compounded semaglutide is unreviewed and far cheaper. The gap, live.
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