STAT+: Telemedicine company touted by Novo Nordisk stressed profits over patient safety, ex-workers say
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- LifeMD allegedly expected providers to review up to 25 patient cases per hour based solely on electronic intake forms—roughly two minutes per patient—according to five former employees and two lawsuits filed by former top leaders
- Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, lists LifeMD on its website as a provider offering "legitimate medicine sourcing and patient support" for people seeking GLP-1 drugs
- Former LifeMD employees said the company discouraged providers from asking medically relevant questions so as not to "delay care," prioritizing prescription volume over clinical rigor
- LifeMD "strenuously denies" the allegations, putting the former employees' account directly at odds with the company's stated practices
- Experts told STAT that LifeMD sits inside a sprawling, loosely regulated GLP-1 telehealth industry that has been boosted by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, where lax clinical oversight could leave patients more vulnerable to potentially serious side effects from powerful obesity drugs
Why it matters: Novo Nordisk publicly vouches for LifeMD on its website even as five ex-employees and two ex-executive lawsuits describe a system built for speed over screening—clinicians allegedly got just two minutes per case. If those allegations hold up, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly face reputational exposure for steering patients into telehealth channels that may not be delivering the safety bar their brand promises, just as competition among GLP-1 telehealth providers intensifies.
