Telehealth Middlemen Let Just Anyone Sell GLP-1 Drugs Online
A new wave of turnkey telehealth services provides ready-made infrastructure, enabling anyone from dating apps to influencers to launch virtual clinics prescribing weight-loss drugs, often without medical background.
A growing number of companies with no healthcare experience are now offering GLP-1 medications online, thanks to so-called turnkey telehealth providers. These middlemen supply software, rosters of clinicians, and regulatory compliance, allowing clients to quickly start virtual clinics. For example, digital advice platform JustAnswer pivoted to selling weight loss drugs in May, with CEO Andy Kurtzig citing ChatGPT's advice and strong customer demand. JustAnswer uses WhiteLabelMD to handle customer service and connect patients with prescribers of semaglutide and tirzepatide.
Grindr, the gay dating app, launched a telehealth arm called Woodwork in 2025, using OpenLoop to offer erectile dysfunction drugs, peptides, and GLP-1s. Reality TV star Savannah Chrisley started Good Girl RX, focused on GLP-1s, relying on turnkey company Beluga Health. Fuse Health, a newer turnkey startup, boasts it can help brands go live in three hours.
Clinic Medvi used turnkey providers to reach over $400 million in sales in 2025 without hiring any healthcare workers. However, it received an FDA warning letter and faces a class-action lawsuit. Experts warn that while turnkey services enable rapid entry, they can lead to variable quality of care, as clinics may not employ clinicians themselves. Patients might find it hard to distinguish between robust support and minimal service.
OpenLoop recently launched Launchpad for businesses and individual creators without experience, enabling virtual clinics for erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and metabolic optimization. Within days, nearly 50 prospective customers expressed interest.
