Do I need a video visit to get a GLP-1 prescription online?

It depends on the provider and on state law. Some providers prescribe after an asynchronous questionnaire reviewed by a clinician; others require a video or phone visit, and some states require a synchronous visit before certain prescriptions. Each provider profile records whether a synchronous visit is required, optional or not offered.

When is the first charge taken?

Most providers charge at the end of the intake, before a clinician has reviewed the case, and refund if the prescriber declines. The refund terms are on each provider profile; if a provider does not publish them, the profile says so.

Who ships the medication?

For compounded medication, a compounding pharmacy contracted by the provider; for brand-name products, a retail or manufacturer-direct pharmacy. The provider profile names the pharmacy when the provider discloses it.

Published August 27, 2026 · updated August 27, 2026 · medically reviewed by Dr. S. Shuwart, MD on August 27, 2026

Medically reviewed · August 27, 2026

How online GLP-1 telehealth works, step by step

What actually happens between clicking a GLP-1 provider's 'get started' button and a vial arriving: intake, prescriber review, pharmacy fulfilment, refills, and where the charges appear along the way.

The process is similar everywhere; where providers differ is in what they charge at each step and how much of it they tell you in advance. This guide walks the path in order and points to the field on each provider profile where we record what that provider does.

1. Intake questionnaire

You enter height, weight, medical history, current medications and, for most providers, a photo ID and sometimes a photo for a visual assessment. The questionnaire determines eligibility against the provider’s own criteria, which usually track the labelled indications for the branded products: a body mass index of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition. Providers may set stricter or looser criteria; the profile’s eligibility section records what each publishes.

What to watch: some intakes ask for payment details before eligibility is decided. The provider profile records whether the first charge is taken before or after prescriber review, when the provider publishes that.

2. Prescriber review

A licensed clinician reviews the intake. Three models exist:

Asynchronous review. The clinician reads the questionnaire and messages you if anything is unclear. No live visit.
Synchronous visit. A scheduled video or phone consultation before the first prescription.
Hybrid. Asynchronous for most patients, synchronous when a state requires it or the clinician requests it.

The prescriber must be licensed in the state where you are located at the time of the visit; this is why state availability matters and why some providers exclude states. The profile records prescriber types (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant) when the provider discloses them, and whether a synchronous visit is required.

3. The prescription and the pharmacy

If approved, the prescription goes to a pharmacy. For compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide this is a compounding pharmacy: a 503A pharmacy compounds for an individual patient on a prescription, while a 503B outsourcing facility can produce larger batches under FDA registration and inspection. For brand-name products the prescription goes to a retail pharmacy or a manufacturer-direct program.

Compounded products are not FDA-approved; the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold. Providers vary in how plainly they say this and in whether they name the pharmacy at all. The profile’s pharmacy section and the Compounding Disclosure Index record both.

4. Shipping

Medication ships in temperature-controlled packaging, typically within a few business days of the prescription. Some providers include shipping in the plan price; some charge per order; a few do not say. Each plan record marks shipping as included, published (with the amount) or required-but-unpublished. Shipping time claims are recorded in the shipping policy field.

5. Dosing and follow-up

Injectable GLP-1 medications are started at a low dose and increased at intervals of roughly four weeks under the branded labels. Providers manage this differently: some ship a vial sized for the whole titration; some ship monthly and adjust the dose with each order; some require a check-in before each increase. This is where dose-related price increases appear on tiered plans, and why every plan on this site shows its price at the starting dose and at the reference maintenance dose.

6. Refills and cancellation

Refills may be automatic (a subscription that renews and ships), on request, or conditional on a follow-up visit. Cancellation may be self-serve, by message, or by phone, and may require notice. The profile records each policy’s status and summary; the ranking’s cancellation-clarity factor rewards providers who publish them.

Where the money goes

Across the plans we have verified, the charges that most often sit outside the headline price are the consultation fee, a membership or program fee, and the price step at higher doses. The pricing database shows each plan’s true 12-month cost with unpublished required charges named; the Hidden Fee Index counts them by provider.

Questions this page answers

Do I need a video visit to get a GLP-1 prescription online?: It depends on the provider and on state law. Some providers prescribe after an asynchronous questionnaire reviewed by a clinician; others require a video or phone visit, and some states require a synchronous visit before certain prescriptions. Each provider profile records whether a synchronous visit is required, optional or not offered.
When is the first charge taken?: Most providers charge at the end of the intake, before a clinician has reviewed the case, and refund if the prescriber declines. The refund terms are on each provider profile; if a provider does not publish them, the profile says so.
Who ships the medication?: For compounded medication, a compounding pharmacy contracted by the provider; for brand-name products, a retail or manufacturer-direct pharmacy. The provider profile names the pharmacy when the provider discloses it.

Sources

Provider pricing pages, checkout flows and terms in the pricing database (provider)
FDA: Compounding and the FDA — questions and answers (regulator)

Educational information, not medical advice. Decisions about GLP-1 medication belong with you and a licensed clinician who knows your history. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. Report an error.