Liraglutide Prescribed via Telemedicine: Most Patients Lose Weight and Want to Continue Despite Side Effects

Retrospective cross-sectional study using anonymized data from 966 patients who received liraglutide prescriptions through a DTC telemedicine platform between August 2022 and April 2024. Patients completed an initial online eligibility questionnaire reviewed by a physician. A follow-up questionnaire at 50 days post-prescription assessed weight loss, adverse events, treatment adherence, and satisfaction using patient-reported outcomes.

The explosion of GLP-1 drug demand has outpaced traditional healthcare access, driving many patients to telemedicine platforms. This study provides some of the first real-world data on whether DTC prescribing of GLP-1 agonists produces meaningful results. The high adherence and weight loss rates suggest telemedicine can be an effective channel, though the lack of in-person monitoring raises safety questions that need longer-term study.

DTC telemedicine for GLP-1 prescriptions represents a major shift in how obesity is treated — moving from traditional clinical encounters to online platforms that can reach more patients faster. This study is part of a broader conversation about balancing accessibility with safety oversight. As GLP-1 drugs become even more widely used, understanding outcomes in real-world, non-clinical-trial populations is essential.

This is a retrospective study relying entirely on patient-reported outcomes without clinical verification (no measured weights, lab tests, or physical exams). The 50-day follow-up is very short and does not capture long-term efficacy, weight regain, or late adverse events. There was no control group. Patients using DTC platforms may differ from the general obese population in motivation and health literacy. The data comes from a single telemedicine platform.