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Written by William Hsieh, PharmD 2025
January 6, 2024
Telehealth Case Study: Ozempic
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist indicated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage type 2 diabetes. Research, including a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), has suggested that semaglutide also possesses significant weight-loss benefits, with patients reporting a reduction in body weight of at least 5% in three months. A separate semaglutide formulation named Wegovy has received FDA approval for obesity treatment to address the escalating obesity crisis in the United States. The surge in telehealth offerings aligns closely with this need, providing patients with convenient remote access to Semaglutide prescriptions.
Telehealth involves using digital technologies to deliver health care at a distance. An illustrative example is Henry Meds, which supplies Semaglutide prescriptions via online consultations, bypassing traditional in-person doctor visits. Patients can quickly secure a conversation with healthcare professionals and potentially receive drugs after a few days, which is typically expedited compared to traditional avenues. Furthermore, partnerships between telehealth services and mail-order pharmacies facilitate direct medication delivery to patients, highlighting convenience and speed in addressing obesity with effective pharmaceutical interventions.
Nevertheless, the move towards telehealth may affect the holistic approach to patient care. With efficiency and direct access to medication as a priority, telehealth providers may deprioritize the patient's comprehensive well-being. For instance, primary care physicians (PCPs) often recommend lifestyle adjustments before pharmacotherapy, which might be overlooked in the telehealth model. Furthermore, concerns arise regarding the thoroughness of telehealth evaluations and the potential for misuse facilitated by the model's expedient nature.
High-profile endorsements of Semaglutide and aggressive marketing tactics accentuate this problem. As an illustration, a study by Basch et al. analyzed the impact of TikTok content on public perception, noting that the top 100 videos associated with the search term ‘Ozempic’ had amassed 70 million views collectively.3 The predominance of non-professional content creators in these videos raises alarms about disseminating inaccurate information regarding Semaglutide. Additionally, Bollmemeier, PharmD, pointed out some concerning patterns that show a rise in Semaglutide prescriptions through telehealth channels. This is likely due to marketing that promotes the drug as a quick way to lose weight, even among people who are not medically considered obese.
Semaglutide is not without adverse effects, including hypoglycemia, nausea, GI distress, and the possibility of pancreatitis, necessitating careful consideration of patients' medical and family histories when prescribing—details that may be inadequately communicated to telehealth providers. An overemphasis on profitability could lead to inappropriate prescribing practices. Recent Ozempic shortages serve as an example of this and highlight the potential negative effects of such practices on patients who need the medication for diabetes management, prompting calls for more responsible prescription ethics within telehealth services.
From a regulatory standpoint, laws such as 243 CMR 2.00 in Massachusetts mandate that telehealth services employ physicians licensed to prescribe to their residents, with parallel requirements in other states. Moreover, telehealth companies must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). However, as of 2023, the FDA's oversight does not extend to these entities if they distribute controlled substances, which would be subject to the DEA provisions of the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008.
The trend toward digital healthcare innovation is reflected in the increasing dependence on telehealth services for obtaining medications like Semaglutide. The cases of semaglutide and telehealth practices underscore a broader movement in healthcare aimed at providing individualized, efficient, and convenient care. Companies such as Roman Health, Henry Meds, and Plushcare demonstrate the market for easy access to drugs such as semaglutide. In the wake of the pandemic, the growing preference for digital health options reflects a paradigm shift in patient care modalities. However, this trend warrants a prudent approach, particularly regarding access to and regulation of online prescription drugs like Ozempic, to ensure ethical and safe healthcare delivery.
References:
Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
Semaglutide (Active Ingredient in Ozempic®), Prescribed Online. henrymeds.com. Accessed December 26, 2023. https://henrymeds.com/semaglutide/
Basch CH, Narayanan S, Tang H, Fera J, Basch CE. Descriptive analysis of TikTok videos posted under the hashtag #Ozempic. Journal of Medicine Surgery and Public Health. 2023;1:100013. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glmedi.2023.100013
Bollmeier SG. Prescription Advertising in the Digital Age: Patient Safety Requires Better Regulation. Missouri medicine. 2023;120(4):245-249. Accessed November 28, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10441261/
Prescribing Information | Ozempic® (semaglutide) injection 0.5 mg or 1 mg. www.ozempic.com. https://www.ozempic.com/prescribing-information.html
Archive VA, feed G author R. Why Ozempic isn’t just getting celebrities thin: it’s killing the diet industry too. Published June 13, 2023. https://nypost.com/2023/06/13/why-ozempic-isnt-just-getting-celebrities-thin-its-killing-the-diet-industry-too/
Ingram D. Over 4,000 ads for Ozempic-style drugs found on Instagram and Facebook. NBC News. Published June 15, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/ozempic-weight-loss-drug-ads-instagram-wegovy-semaglutide-rcna88602
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