INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly on Thursday launched a new website allowing people to order some of their products, including the weight-loss medicine Zepbound, directly online.
The online platform LillyDirect will connect patients suffering from migraines, obesity and diabetes to independent telehealth providers and other disease management resources.
Lilly now joins a growing landscape of websites offering telehealth prescriptions for weight loss drugs directly to consumers, including Ro Weight Loss and WeightWatchers Clinic which launched last year. The venture marks Lilly’s first foray into the telehealth space.
“A complex U.S. health care system adds to the burdens patients face when managing a chronic disease,” Chief Executive David Ricks said in a statement. “With LillyDirect, our goal is to relieve some of those burdens by simplifying the patient experience to help improve outcomes.”
The launch comes less than two months after Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Zepbound is among the list of powerful GLP-1 agonists approved for obesity treatments, a family of drugs that includes Novo Dordisks’ Ozempic.
While Zepbound and Ozempic are used for different purposes, they both mimic the action of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1. When blood sugar levels start to rise after someone eats, these drugs stimulate the body to produce more insulin. The extra insulin helps lower blood sugar levels and also makes people who take it feel more full.
Lily said in a statement they are working with two accredited pharmacy service providers, EVERSANA and Truepill, to provide the prescriptions. EVERSANA® is a licensed pharmacy offering LillyDirect users a range of pharmacy services like electronic benefits verification, manufacturer savings support and prescription routing. Truepill provides an array of pharmacy services like online ordering, claim adjudication, payment processing, shipping notifications, refill reminders and prescription renewals, according to the company.
Home delivery of certain drugs are also available through the website.
A Find in Person feature, which is provided by the independent service provider Healthgrades, allows customers to search for an independent healthcare professional closest to them for in-person options. Lilly reiterated that search tool is separate from the telehealth provider options available on the platform.
"Treatment decisions and prescribing practices are made at the discretion of the provider’s care team. Providers located via this service may provide a range of care options, including prescribing medications. Lilly is not suggesting consumers seeking care through a provider listed on LillyDirect will be prescribed a Lilly treatment," the company said in a statement.
The cost of medication is not included in the cost of the service, even when your medical insurance is covering the cost of doctor visits/consultations.
Telehealth service providers listed on LillyDirect will help patients navigate the insurance approval process if a branded medication is prescribed. The cost for telehealth appointments and payment options varies by telehealth provider, according to Lilly.
Insurance is not required to access the treatments available on LillyDirect. If a person has been prescribed a Lilly insulin medication and are uninsured, they should visit lillypricinginfo.com to see if they are eligible for one of Lilly's Insulin Value Programs to assist with your out-of-pocket costs.
Reporting from the magazine Quartz found the out-of-pocket price for Zepbound was $1,060. Lilly had also previously stated people who have insurance, but no coverage for Zepbound may still be able to pay as low as $550 per month.
The company also recommends adding LillyDirect to your Home Screen for easier access. For iOS users: after navigating to LillyDirect from your browser, tap the share button and select “Add to Home Screen. Android users can tap the “Save LillyDirect to Home Screen” button at the bottom of this page. People using a laptop users: select the “Save LillyDirect to Home Screen” button at the bottom of this page and then select “Install.”
If your provider asks for more information on how to send your prescription to LillyDirect Pharmacy Solutions, the company says you can provide this information: LillyDirect Pharmacy Solutions,
NCPDP ID # 2648698.
Also make sure your healthcare provider includes your mobile phone number or email address when they send your new prescription through their Electronic Health Record system.
The pharmaceutical company reiterated Thursday in an open letter that they are against the use of their weight-loss medicines Zepbound and Mounjaro for cosmetic weight loss.
"Lilly does not promote or encourage use of Mounjaro, Zepbound, or any Lilly medicines outside of a medicine’s FDA-approved indication," the company said in a statement. "Mounjaro and Zepbound should only be used when prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional."
They added Mounjaro is indicated in addition to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, While Zepbound is indicated for adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater, or those who are overweight (with a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 or greater) and also have at least one weight-related additional condition.