GLP-1 'secret shopper' study finds gaps in online prescribing
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Getting a GLP-1 prescription online can be quick and convenient, but new research suggests it may come with surprisingly little medical oversight. The findings are published in the journal JAMA.
Ashwin Chetty and colleagues at Yale University School of Medicine created a simulated patient profile that met the criteria for a GLP-1 prescription and used it to seek prescriptions from 49 websites between August and December 2025.
The result: Forty-five sites prescribed the medication, and 34 mailed it.
Most websites didn't require the "patient" to speak with a clinician. Only 13 required a video visit with a clinician, and just three required a phone call.
Instead, researchers say prescriptions were often based on online questionnaires that may not capture important clinical and social history.
Many of the medications were approved in five minutes or less, even when required photos were missing.
While online platforms have expanded access to GLP-1 drugs, the authors said some appear to prioritize quick prescriptions over comprehensive care.
They warn that limited clinician involvement—especially when prescribing compounded GLP-1s—could increase the risk of medical and financial harm.
Publication details
Ashwin K. Chetty et al, Online Prescribing of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, JAMA (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.9131
Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association
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