Danish parties demand action on illegal health service ads

Three parties in the Danish parliament are calling on Health Minister Ida Auken to intervene after private clinics were found to be illegally advertising health services on social media.

A DR P1 Morgen investigation revealed that weight-loss clinics FitForLivet and Embla, as well as eye clinic Memira, continue to promote treatments through video ads on platforms like YouTube, Instagram Reels, and TikTok—violating Danish law, which prohibits such marketing for health services.

Conservative Party health spokesperson Charlotte Green said current enforcement is insufficient. “We need to tighten the rules,” she told DR.

Enhedslisten’s Peder Hvelplund, who raised the issue six months ago with the former health minister, said the persistent violations show companies are disregarding the law. He called for a review of whether the Danish Patient Safety Authority has adequate resources and warned against over-treatment, stigmatisation, or misleading medical advice.

Jesper Nygart, a doctor at FitForLivet, which advertises weight-loss programmes featuring Wegovy, told DR the clinic had not heard from authorities and assumed its videos were compliant.

Danmarksdemokraterne’s Jens Henrik Thulesen Dahl criticised this approach, calling it “horrible” that companies assume legality simply because they have not been penalised. He supports stricter controls and penalties.

Minister Auken called the violations “worrying,” particularly when marketing distorts body image ideals among youth or downplays treatment risks. She expects providers to comply with the rules and will convene parliamentary parties after the summer to discuss stronger consequences.