On July 14, 2025, the operators of telemedicine company Southern Health Solutions, Inc., doing business as Next Medical and NextMed, agreed to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) charges that the company’s weight‑loss membership program employed false pricing, misleading weight‑loss claims, and fake testimonials to promote access to GLP‑1 medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic. The three current Commissioners¹ voted unanimously to issue the administrative complaint and to accept the proposed consent agreement.

Key allegations include:

• Hidden fees and deceptive pricing: Ads promoted membership such as “only $79 for your first month,” failing to disclose the cost of medication, labs, mandatory membership terms, and early-termination fees.
• Fake reviews and suppressed negative feedback: Tactics involved fake before-and-after photos, testimonials from non‑customers, manipulating Trustpilot via incentivized positive reviews, and suppressing negative reviews.
• Unsubstantiated weight‑loss claims: Marketing, according to the FTC, claimed an average weight loss of 53 pounds (23% of body weight), without substantiation.
• Customer service failures: The company thwarted cancellation and refund requests, failing to process them adequately despite a one‑year commitment.

Under the proposed order, NextMed and its principals must pay US$150,000, which is expected to be used to provide refunds to consumers. NextMed and its principals are also subject to future injunctions...

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