Montreal woman shocked to find Ozempic pamphlet in meal kit box

A Montreal woman was shocked when she opened a HelloFresh meal kit she ordered and found it came with a pamphlet promoting the drug Ozempic.

A Montreal woman was shocked when she opened a HelloFresh meal kit she ordered and found it came with a pamphlet promoting the prescription medication known as Ozempic.

She posted her story on social media, sparking debate over drug advertising in Canada.

She declined an interview with CTV News, saying she’d leave it to experts to weigh in.

Dr. Remi Rabasa-Lhoret, president of the Professional Council of Diabetes Quebec, called the pamphlet “weird, odd and inappropriate.”

“I’m extremely concerned to see some big pharma companies stretching all those rules,” he said.

Drug ads are restricted in Canada. Known as reminder ads, companies can only list a drug’s name, price, and quantity, said marketing expert Eric Blais.

“You can’t really say what it’s for and you can only somehow create general awareness of the brand name,” he explained, hence the slogan “is Ozempic right for you? Ask your doctor.”

Blais says Canada’s advertising rules need to change with the times.

“How are you going to control that sort of noise on social media and on other online platforms? It’s almost impossible to regulate this sort of messaging,” he said.

Ozempic is primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, it also became popular for its weight loss potential.

Rabasa-Lhoret says that’s a problem.

“It is not a quick fix, it’s one of the tools in our toolbox that should be prescribed by a health care professional within a pathway of care,” he said.

He says it shouldn’t be this easy to purchase Ozempic. “To get this online — it is not Collège des Médecins approved, it is not pharmacy organization approved.”

Ozempic ads are everywhere — rink side at hockey games and even the Olympics.

Rabasa-Lhoret says manufacturer Novo Nordisk is pushing the limits.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said.

But in this case, the ad comes from telehealth company Livewell Canada.

CTV News asked Livewell if Novo Nordisk approved the ad but did not hear back at time of publication.

Blais says this also raises questions about HelloFresh, saying there is a “disconnect.”

A spokesperson says the company strives to meet customer need, including promoting relevant products.

“While this offer may have been perceived positively by some, we understand that this may not be the case for all,” they said in a statement.

Another concern is who’s receiving this ad, points out clinician Tania Lemoine.

“Some of the people who are opening those boxes have eating disorders or maybe are feeling ashamed about their bodies,” she said.

For some experts, ads like this show how outdated the rules are for medical advertising. They say medication should help, not harm.