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Former LifeMD workers say profits came before patient safety on GLP-1s

Posted by restless_swims in Research & News - 2 points, 4 comments.

https://www.statnews.com/2026/07/20/lifemd-weight-loss-drugs-novo-nordisk-telemedicine

The STAT piece is rough reading, not gonna lie. Former employees basically saying the company pushed scripts through to keep the revenue going, and the company denying it all. That tracks with what I keep seeing in telehealth, where the consult is five minutes and the refill is automatic.

What gets me is how loose the whole space still is. These are real drugs with real side effects, and the people prescribing them are sometimes basically rubber stamping an online form. The article mentions Novo and Lilly quietly benefiting from this whole boom, which is a bit grim when you think about it.

Did anyone here actually go through one of these telehealth outfits? Genuinely curious if anyone had a good experience or if it was the usual "pay and pray" situation 🧠

Comments

  • sam_l: Yeah i tried one tbh, not naming names but it was the usual telehealth route for glp1s. Five minute video call, guy basically asked if i had a scale and a goal weight, then approved it same day. No bloodwork, no real pushback. Felt weirdly easy. Like scarily easy for something that's supposed to be a serious med. It worked for appetite suppression, no denying that. But the follow up was basically nothing. Refill button, done. No one ever asked how i was tolerating it or if i needed to taper.
  • restless_swims: That lines up so much with what i keep hearing, the no bloodwork part is actually what gets me most. Like even my own GP wanted fasting glucose and a full panel before she'd entertain it with me, and these places just wave people through. How long were you on it before you stopped? And did the appetite suppression actually wear off or did you just lose interest in chasing refills with zero oversight?
  • curious_peptidehead: Yeah the five minute thing is what gets me too. I keep thinking about how much we'd yell at a doc who handed out blood pressure meds without checking your labs, but with GLP1s because it's weight and there's a hunger angle people just shrug and click refill... And the follow up part is honestly the part that worries me most because that's where you catch the weird sides before they snowball.
  • restless_swims: Yeah the follow up part is exactly where it falls apart. The companies make their money on the script, not on the six month check in, so there's no real incentive to do it right. And you're dead right about the double standard, people get weird about weight stuff and assume motivation is the only variable. What was your own experience like if you don't mind me asking, did you ever go through one of these clinics or just watching from the side?

Community discussion - research and educational context only. Not medical advice.