The GLP-1 telehealth space includes excellent providers and predatory ones. The difference matters for your health and your wallet. Here's a 10-point checklist to evaluate any provider before committing.
The 10-Point Legitimacy Checklist
1. Licensed Physician Reviews Every Case
A board-certified physician, not a nurse practitioner, algorithm, or "health team", must review your case and issue the prescription. Legitimate providers can name the physician involved. If the approval feels automatic or instant with no physician review, stop.
2. Medication from a Named US Compounding Pharmacy
Ask which pharmacy compounds their medication. A legitimate provider names a specific pharmacy licensed in the United States. Ideal: a 503B outsourcing facility operating under FDA oversight. Vague references to "quality partners" or any indication of international sourcing are disqualifying.
The FDA's 503B outsourcing facility registry is publicly searchable.
3. Transparent All-Inclusive Pricing
The price you see should be the price you pay. Reputable providers include medication, physician consultation, supplies, and shipping in a single monthly price. If a low advertised price becomes significantly higher after consultation fees, supply fees, or shipping are added at checkout, that's a red flag.
4. Cancel Anytime, No Fees
Providers confident in their service don't need lock-in contracts. If a provider requires a minimum subscription commitment or charges cancellation fees, they're using contracts to retain customers they couldn't keep voluntarily.
5. Real Patient Support
A phone number, email address, and/or live chat, plus stated response times. Test this before signing up: send a question and see how long it takes to get a real response. Companies that are hard to reach before you buy will be harder to reach when you have a problem.
6. Verifiable Reviews
Look for reviews on independent platforms (Trustpilot, Google, Reddit) rather than testimonials on the provider's own website. Be appropriately skeptical of very recent providers with an unusually high volume of glowing reviews, this pattern often indicates purchased reviews.
7. Clear Medical Disclaimer
Legitimate providers are clear that they are not a medical clinic, that results vary, and that GLP-1 medications require physician oversight. Providers that market with vague wellness language and downplay the prescription-drug nature of their products are not operating with appropriate transparency.
8. Medication Ships Cold
Semaglutide and tirzepatide are temperature-sensitive peptides. Legitimate providers ship with appropriate cold-chain packaging. If a provider shows no indication of cold-chain shipping, ask specifically how they ship and store medication.
9. Dose Escalation Protocol
Legitimate providers prescribe GLP-1 medications with proper dose escalation, starting at a low dose and increasing gradually over weeks. This mirrors the clinical trial protocols and significantly reduces side effects. Providers who offer "maximum dose immediately" or don't provide a structured escalation schedule are not following standard medical practice.
10. No "Guarantee" of Results
No legitimate medical provider guarantees specific weight loss results. GLP-1 medications are highly effective on average, but individual outcomes vary. Providers that advertise guaranteed outcomes are making claims that can't be medically supported.