The news: Physicians are unsure whether pharma’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms for weight loss drugs will improve patient care, according to a December 2025 Sermo poll of 953 clinicians in seven countries, including the US.

For context, pharma companies are steadily expanding D2C options for select medicines like GLP-1s, driven by President Trump’s push for drugmakers to offer more products at a discount for cash-pay patients through a new TrumpRx marketplace. Many of these initiatives include a telehealth component where patients get quick access to a doctor who can prescribe the manufacturer’s drugs.

Digging into the details: Physicians agreed that pharma’s D2C weight loss drug offerings expand access to treatment, but they also raised concerns about how the platforms affect patient care.

• 69% say accessibility to GLP-1s will improve due to TrumpRx.
• 56% think pharma’s D2C offerings for weight loss drugs confuse some patients and help others, while 10% believe it disrupts the continuity of care.
• 64% said pharma’s role in D2C care should be limited—either restricted prescribing with oversight from a patient’s regular doctor (35%) or support services only, with prescribing left to the regular physician (29%).
• 59% express doubt that GLP-1 prescriptions obtained through non-traditional sources are receiving appropriate medical supervision and follow-up care.

Why it matters: Pharma’s D2C sales have only recently ramped up, but consumer awareness is growing, with many already connecting with pharma’s affiliated telehealth doctors or buying drugs directly from manufacturers.

• 17% of consumers—including about one-quarter of Gen Zers and millennials—said they’ve used a pharma company’s D2C platform for virtual care or to purchase a medication in the past year, per EMARKETER’s just-released survey of over 2,100 US consumers.