# Telehealth Companies Leak Medical Data

> Telehealth firms share health data without permission, risking user privacy.
- Title: Telehealth Companies Leak Medical Data · Seattletimes
- Summary: Telehealth firms share health data without permission, risking user privacy. Telehealth companies like Hims & Hers share customers' medical data with…
- Keywords: hims, hims and hers, ftc, telehealth, medical data, privacy laws, glp-1 drugs, online health services, news, local, Companies, Leak
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/business/telehealth-companies-keep-exposing-their-customers-medical-data-what-should-they-do
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: hims, hims and hers, ftc, telehealth, medical data, privacy laws, glp-1 drugs, online health services, news, local
## Telehealth's Promise
Telehealth lets users get approved for medications within minutes without calling doctors, booking appointments, or waiting for prescriptions.
## Regulators Accuse Telehealth Firms
Federal regulators accuse telehealth companies of sharing health data, signing users up for hard-to-cancel subscriptions, and bypassing real-time doctor consultations.
## FTC Targets Hims & Hers
The FTC alleges Hims & Hers engaged in deceptive practices, including sharing customer health data with Meta and Google without permission.
## Hims Denies Claims
Hims calls the government’s claims an effort to generate headlines at their expense, disputing the allegations.
## FTC's Past Actions
FTC has filed similar cases against over half a dozen telehealth companies, including BetterHelp and GoodRx, for sharing health data with platforms like Meta and Google.
## Health Data Not Covered by HIPAA
Federal health privacy laws like HIPAA generally don’t apply to telehealth companies, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to sharing with advertisers and social media.
## GLP-1 Drug Prescriptions
Less than a third of telehealth companies selling GLP-1 drugs require real-time video or audio consultations with physicians, often approving prescriptions within minutes.
## Eating Disorders Risk
Only slightly more than half of telehealth websites ask about eating disorders on intake questionnaires, which GLP-1 drugs can induce or worsen.
## Data Sharing Practices
Telehealth companies share health data with advertisers, social media platforms, and search engines, despite claiming their services are private and secure.
## Privacy Experts Recommend
Experts suggest using ad blockers, private browsers, and reading user agreements to protect health data, but companies may still sell sensitive information like users’ sex lives.
## Key takeaway

Telehealth companies like Hims & Hers share customers' medical data with platforms like Meta and Google, violating consumer protection laws.