Eli Lilly allows direct sales of weight loss drug Zepbound, an industry first
Jan 5
By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 29%
Center 52%
Right 19%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
Click to close
Left
+0
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Associated Press News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on abc News
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on NBC News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Coast Reporter
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain Outlook
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on NBC LA
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KRDO
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KIFI
Eli Lilly goes direct-to-consumer on weight loss drugs: What patients and investors need to know
Click to see story on CNBC
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KVIA
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with prescriptions
Click to see story on Star Advertiser
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on WPLG
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Washington Top News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Medical Xpress
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on WANE-TV
Eli Lilly launches service to connect patients with telehealth care, deliver medications to their homes
Click to see story on Albany Herald
Eli Lilly’s new website to help patients access weight-loss medicine
Click to see story on Scripps News
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on National Post
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on MY Northwest
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on Alabama Live
Eli Lilly broadens access to weight loss drugs with new website
Click to see story on Fox Business
Click to close
Right
+0
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
23 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
23
Leaning Left
6
Center
11
Leaning Right
4
Last Updated
4 months ago
The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company’s new website “LillyDirect” is a one-stop shop to find a doctor or telehealth provider, with some prescriptions able to be filled online and sent straight to a consumer. Now, Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug can be mailed to patients — the first pharmaceutical company to allow direct sales of weight loss drugs.
Eli Lilly’s new direct-to-consumer service has raised concerns. The focus is on whether it’s a profit-driven tactic rather than a solution for improving accessibility for those who require the medication.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
The weight loss drug is called Zepbound, and it is similar to drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
These drugs have spiked in popularity, leading to a $6 billion industry. Drugmakers expect to profit $100 billion by the year 2030, however, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks said the new direct-to-consumer option isn’t about boosting sales.
“This is about patient success,” Ricks said. “Our sales will be the same whether we sell it to CVS or Walgreens or sell it on our website.”
Some observers are skeptical.
“They’re trying hard to make sure you can find a path to something they absolutely want to sell you,” New York University Head of Medical Ethics Art Caplan said. “That creates at least the appearance of conflict of interest.”
LillyDirect will also offer insulin drugs for people with diabetes as well as migraine medication.
[KARAH RUCKER]
IS DRUG MAKER ELI LILLY’S NEW DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER OPTION A TACTIC TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY ON ITS POPULAR WEIGHT LOSS DRUG? OR IS IT TO OFFER PEOPLE WHO NEED THE DRUG AN OPTION FOR EASIER ACCESS?
WE’LL GIVE YOU BOTH SIDES FOR YOU TO DECIDE.
THIS IS THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY’S NEW WEBSITE “LILLY-DIRECT.”
A ONE STOP SHOP TO FIND A DOCTOR OR TELEHEALTH PROVIDER AND SOME PRESCRIPTIONS CAN BE FILLED AND SENT STRAIGHT TO THE CONSUMER.
ON THE LIST OF AVAILABLE DRUGS TO BE SHIPPED: ZEPBOUND. ELI LILLY’S WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION THAT IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY.
THESE DRUGS HAVE SKYROCKETED IN POPULARITY.
IT’S A SIX BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY.
DRUG MAKERS EXPECTED TO PROFIT 100 BILLION BY THE YEAR 2030.
BUT THE CEO OF ELI LILLY SAYS THIS NEW DIRECT TO CONSUMER OPTION ISN’T ABOUT BOOSTING SALES, IT’S ABOUT “PATIENT SUCCESS.”
[DAVE RICKS | ELI LILLY CEO]
“This is about patient success. Our sales will be the same whether we sell it to CVS or Walgreens or sell it on our website.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
SOME OBSERVERS ARE SKEPTICAL
[ART CAPLAN | NYU HEAD OF MEDICAL ETHICS]
“They’re trying hard to make sure you can find a path to something they absolutely want to sell you. That creates at least the appearance of conflict of interest.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
THIS IS A FIRST.
ELI LILLY IS THE FIRST PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY TO ALLOW DIRECT SALES.
Related
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 29%
Center 52%
Right 19%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
Click to close
Left
+0
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Associated Press News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on abc News
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on NBC News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Coast Reporter
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain Outlook
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on NBC LA
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KRDO
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KIFI
Eli Lilly goes direct-to-consumer on weight loss drugs: What patients and investors need to know
Click to see story on CNBC
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on KVIA
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with prescriptions
Click to see story on Star Advertiser
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on WPLG
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Washington Top News
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on Medical Xpress
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on WANE-TV
Eli Lilly launches service to connect patients with telehealth care, deliver medications to their homes
Click to see story on Albany Herald
Eli Lilly’s new website to help patients access weight-loss medicine
Click to see story on Scripps News
Click to close
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on National Post
Eli Lilly starts website to connect patients with new obesity treatment, Zepbound, other drugs
Click to see story on MY Northwest
Eli Lilly launches website to help patients get weight loss drugs
Click to see story on Alabama Live
Eli Lilly broadens access to weight loss drugs with new website
Click to see story on Fox Business
Click to close
Right
+0
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
23 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
23
Leaning Left
6
Center
11
Leaning Right
4
Last Updated
4 months ago
Unbiased news.
Directly to
your inbox.
Free!
MOST POPULAR
-
Pythons decimate Florida’s wildlife, is eating them the answer?
Watch 2:04
Tuesday
-
Trump could lose Secret Service protection if found guilty
Watch 2:10
Tuesday
-
Argentina asks to join NATO as Milei looks to enhance security, strengthen ties
Watch 1:57
Apr 19
-
Utah students protest 'furries,' school admin deny problem
Watch 2:10
Apr 19