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The Hollow Men of Hims

(www.alexkesin.com)
204 points quadrin | 3 comments | 25 Jun 25 22:59 UTC | HN request time: 0.507s | source
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n8cpdx ◴[26 Jun 25 00:19 UTC] No.44383061[source]▶
> Regulatory arbitrage disguised as innovation, dressed in the fashionable vocabulary of patient empowerment while serving no master but the quarterly earnings call.

No masters except the patients that are literally being empowered to make choices about their medical care and are paying a substantial premium (in many cases) to do so.

I would happily be empowered by my doctor and UnitedHealthcare instead, but sadly that’s not on the table.

Try getting tretinoin from a real doctor; I’ve been written prescriptions multiple times, never once succeeded in actually getting it, because insurance is a fucking nightmare. And I’m not on a cheap plan.

Also note that the compounded semaglutide is superior because it comes in adjustable dose vials, unlike the pens. But I’m sure the author would claim that taking a smaller dose to reduce side effects is “a dangerous and unproven approach to medicine that puts patient lives on the line purely for profit”.

replies(3): >>44383226 #>>44383501 #>>44389463 #
1. gunsle ◴[26 Jun 25 00:52 UTC] No.44383226[source]▶
Tretinoin is easily prescribed by seeing a dermatologist. What do you mean it’s a nightmare to get even with a prescription? I think a tube of cream cost like $10 at Costco. You don’t even need to use your own insurance to buy things from the pharmacy as long as you have a prescription. I never once had a problem filling it before I switched to Accutane.
replies(2): >>44389258 #>>44391335 #
2. kridsdale1 ◴[26 Jun 25 17:10 UTC] No.44389258[source]▶
I was able to buy it two times from an Indian website. I have no concerns about its safety profile.

Fuck the AMA gatekeepers. Bodily Autonomy means I should get to buy and use any medicine I decide it worth my personal risk assessment.

3. n8cpdx ◴[26 Jun 25 21:03 UTC] No.44391335[source]▶
My doctor keeps prescribing it and the pharmacy keeps not filling it. I’m not really sure what’s going wrong, I haven’t taken the time to debug the situation. I shouldn’t need to, and I’ve never needed to with hims.