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virtual care company Omada Health announced Thursday that it will begin prescribing GLP-1 and other obesity drugs and helping patients manage them.
Omada plans to expand its weight management program offerings as its membership grows to more than 800,000.
The announcement comes as the digital health company expands its presence in the blockbuster market for GLP-1 to treat obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Some analysts say this market could be worth about $100 billion by the end of 2010. Several digital health companies are offering GLP-1 prescriptions as well, and the manufacturers of these drugs, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, are taking steps to make treatments more accessible while developing new treatments for patients.
“This announcement is in response to our belief that access to GLP-1 will increase significantly over time,” Omada co-founder and CEO Sean Duffy said in an interview. He said Omada recognizes that the market will expand beyond GLP-1 injections to tablets and other “next generation” treatments that work in different ways, emphasizing the need to help patients manage their medications.
Programs from companies like Omada aim to support lifestyle and behavioral changes for patients taking these drugs, offering resources such as nutritional guidance, education, and a team of health coaches and exercise experts to help people take their medications for longer. However, Omada now utilizes licensed healthcare professionals trained in obesity treatment to prescribe medications and assist patients in managing their medications.
This new service will allow the company to support patients from the time they receive their prescription to the time they begin taking GLP-1. This type of support is critical because GLP-1 injections can be complex for patients to use properly and are often associated with gastrointestinal side effects that force some to discontinue treatment.
“If you need to increase or decrease your dose, change your medication, whatever. We can support you through this experience,” Duffy said.
Omada, which partners with national and local health plans and employers, also said the new service is an add-on to help customers better support the health needs of their workers while controlling costs and improving bariatric treatment outcomes.
Also on Thursday, Omada Health announced its second quarterly results since its initial public offering in June.
Founded in 2011, the company offers virtual care programs to support patients with chronic conditions such as prediabetes, diabetes, and hypertension. Omada describes its approach as a “visit-to-visit care model” that complements the broader healthcare ecosystem.
