NextMed must pay $150,000 and halt deceptive GLP-1 ads under final FTC order

The Federal Trade Commission gave final approval on Dec. 3, 2025 to a consent order against NextMed and its principals, Robert Epstein and Frank Leonardo. The order settles charges brought in a July 2025 complaint about how the company marketed prescription GLP-1 weight-loss programs, and it requires a $150,000 payment the agency says is expected to be used to provide refunds to consumers ^[1]. The commission approved the order by a 2-0 vote after a public comment period and also voted to send responses to commenters ^[1].

The July complaint accused the company and its principals of profiting from surging demand for GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic. The allegations included selling programs with costs and membership commitments that were not disclosed, making unsubstantiated claims about the weight loss their clients achieved, using fake testimonials, and unfairly distorting consumer reviews. The complaint also alleged the firm did not timely process cancellation and refund requests and did not get express informed consent before charging people or making recurring debits ^[1].

Under the final order, the defendants cannot misrepresent what telehealth services cost. Any claim about the average or typical results users can expect must rest on "competent and reliable evidence." They are barred from presenting reviews as truthful or as coming from real consumers when that is not the case, and they must disclose any unexpected material connection to endorsers or reviewers. Manipulating reviews is prohibited ^[1].

The order also covers billing and exits from the program: informed consent is required before a consumer is billed, and authorization is required before any electronic fund transfer. Important terms about refunds or cancellations must be clearly disclosed before a customer is asked to pay. The company must give customers a simple way to request a cancellation or refund and must promptly honor compliant requests under the policies in place when the purchase was made ^[1].

Several points are not in the agency's announcement. Whether NextMed, Epstein or Leonardo admit or deny the allegations has not been disclosed. Neither the number of consumers affected nor how much they spent has been reported, and the FTC did not describe a timetable for distributing the $150,000 or explain how eligible recipients will be identified ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

Telehealth offers for GLP-1 weight-loss treatment are often compared on sticker price and on the results they promise. The NextMed order describes practices the FTC says are off-limits for this marketer: leaving required memberships or fees out of an advertised price, claiming typical outcomes without evidence behind them, passing off reviews as genuine when they are not, and billing without consent ^[1].

The obligations bind NextMed, Epstein and Leonardo. Whether other sellers in the GLP-1 telehealth market have changed their advertising, pricing or cancellation policies in response has not been reported, and the agency did not say in this announcement how many comparable cases it has brought ^[1].

The announcement repeats the FTC's standing statement that it never demands money, makes threats, tells people to transfer money or promises a prize, and it points consumers to ReportFraud.ftc.gov to report scams, fraud and bad business practices ^[1]. Because this particular matter involves a payment expected to fund refunds, that description of how the agency operates is the reference point it provides for anyone who is contacted about the money ^[1].

What happens next

The order is final. The $150,000 payment is expected to go toward consumer refunds, but when refunds will be issued and how recipients will be located has not been reported ^[1].