Direct-To-Consumer Ozempic Sales Are A Win For Patients And Drug Makers

Google Wegovy. Or Zepbound. The search results offer a preview of a direct-to-consumer future for prescription drugs.

The brand-name drugs’ homepages generally get top billing. But not far down are ads for telehealth companies promising access to the drugs or others with the same active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, without the need for an in-person visit or insurance.

These GLP-1 drugs have proven effective at helping people lose weight—and are showing promise for a host of other indications, including heart disease and liver disease. Making it easier for people to access them is a good thing for public health.

Two in five American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity costs the American healthcare system $173 billion each year.

Research has shown that sustained use of these drugs could help patients lose close to 10% of their weight—and in the process fight comorbidities like diabetes and heart disease. One study estimates that Medicare would realize savings of up to $245 billion a year if it covered these weight-loss therapies—something it doesn’t currently do.

But many of the telehealth companies promising to bring GLP-1s to the masses are not selling the genuine article. They’re dispensing compounded versions of the drugs, which are not themselves approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

They’ve been able to do so since 2022 because the FDA had declared a shortage of the branded versions—a declaration that gave compound pharmacies the green light to make copycats of the drugs.

But there are downsides to getting drugs from compounding pharmacies. “Compounded drugs also present a risk to patients,” the FDA wrote in a May notice, noting that the agency “continues to find concerning quality and safety problems during inspections of outsourcing facilities.”

Much of the danger stems from the fact that the compounds used by compounding pharmacies come from overseas.

Consider a recent Brookings Institution report on the manufacture of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic. It found that three Chinese firms responsible for 20% of the semaglutide bulk for compounding imported into the United States between March 2023 and September 2024 have never been inspected by the FDA. Another three Chinese firms, which account for over 44% of imports, were cited for violations during inspections.

Without proper FDA inspection or oversight, there’s no way to guarantee that compounded GLP-1s from telehealth providers are safe or legitimate. The only way a patient can ensure they’re buying authentic GLP-1s is to get them from the drugmaker itself.

Fortunately, that’s getting easier. Drug manufacturers are increasingly partnering with telehealth outfits—or launching their own direct-to-consumer portals—to meet patients where they are.

NovoNordisk is partnering with three telehealth sites—Ro, Hims, and LifeMD—to sell its Wegovy directly to consumers. Through the partnership with Hims, Wegovy runs $599 a month and includes nutrition counseling.

Eli Lilly has announced that it will begin distributing its GLP-1 drug, Zepbound, on its LillyDirect platform. Single vials of the drug sell for at least 50% less than the list price of other obesity medicines, according to Eli Lilly’s news release.

This model allows drug companies to offer discounted direct sales without having to act within the confines of discount cards and copay assistance programs. And it lets telehealth companies do what they do best—deliver quick, accessible care—without compromising patient safety.

Consumers, of course, get the best of both worlds—safe, effective medicine for less than the list price. Talk about a win-win.