Secret shoppers found that two-thirds of websites didn’t require clinician interaction before selling users GLP-1 medications. Researchers from Yale tested 49 websites. Out of them, 13 required a video visit and three required a phone call that was under 10 minutes. Four sites didn’t let users ask any questions. Most of the sites’ only interactions came in the form of questionnaires. Two sites issued prescriptions in under five minutes.
The researchers said it appears that “clinicians are participating in name only.” In the study, they found that there were times when the same doctor prescribed the drug to the same fake patient on multiple websites. That shows that clinicians aren’t always tracking which patients are receiving treatment.
“Prescribers on these platforms do not have access to patients’ electronic health records, which means not having a comprehensive list of other treatments the patient might be taking or other conditions a patient has,” the researchers wrote, “So, the medical history becomes even more important for clinicians to make sure they are prescribing drugs that are truly safe and effective for the patient.”
Even though the online prescriptions of GLP-1s aren’t well monitored, almost 20 percent of adults taking the drugs got them online. Shortages of the medication, insurance issues and other concerns led people to online sources of the medications.
Only four of the sites refused to prescribe the medication. Two wanted blood work. One checked other sites and found that the patient already had a prescription for a GLP-1medication. The final site originally approved the request but denied it when there was a mismatch between the person’s submitted weight and body photos. A fifth website originally denied a prescription, but when a refund was requested, it okayed the prescription.
Out of all the websites tested, 69.4 percent of them shipped the medication. Sometimes it was shipped within minutes of approval. On average, name-brand drugs were shipped in a day, while off-brand medications were shipped in five minutes or less.
Some websites ignored their own rules. Nine sites required full-body pictures of scale photos but issued prescriptions when just an upper-body photo was submitted.
We don’t want health care to be less accessible. Medications should be readily available to everyone who needs them. GLP-1s can have serious side effects and aren’t right for everyone. Because there have been shortages and medical insurance can cause problems for people, we completely empathize with going around traditional pharmacies to get the medications you need. However, you should have a conversation with your healthcare provider, tell them all the medications you’re taking and make sure it’s right for you.
Your doctor can monitor your progress on a medication even when they didn’t prescribe it to you. If buying it online is the best option for you, that’s fine. But loop your doctor in and have them be a part of your plan so they can make sure you are using the medication in a way that is healthy for you.
