Drugmaker Eli Lilly announced Wednesday it’s partnering with Amazon to deliver prescription meds right to people’s homes. Available drugs include Zepbound, which helps people lose weight.
The two companies are pitching this as a super-convenient service for patients, and it is.
But a closer look raises questions.
The way this works is you first go to Lilly’s direct-sales website, LillyDirect. If you don’t have a prescription for Zepbound or other available meds, Lilly will connect you with a third-party telehealth service, where an online doctor can write you a prescription.
Your order can then be transferred to Amazon, which will deliver the drugs in a couple of days or less.
Easy-peasy.
But is this good healthcare?
For me, the first red flag is having to purchase through Lilly’s own site. This is reminiscent of recent moves by airlines to cut out travel agents and force travelers to purchase tickets through each carrier’s site.
That prevents people from comparison shopping. Maybe not such a big deal if you know exactly what you want, but it’s nice to see what deals or alternatives competitors might have.
The second red flag is the telehealth service. The online doctors Lilly will hook you up with are under no obligation to write a prescription, or to favor Lilly’s drugs over those of other manufacturers.
But they’re clearly incentivized to do so. Otherwise, they could jeopardize their relationship with the drugmaker.
Then Amazon enters the picture. The e-commerce behemoth runs its own online pharmacy, and having exclusive deals with pharmaceutical companies translates to more business.
These developments are extraordinary. They cut out traditional doctors and traditional drugstores.
But is that a good thing?
It’s fair to wonder if you’d receive better guidance by visiting your own doctor, relating your situation, and asking him or her what the best course of treatment might be.
It’s entirely possible the answer could be a prescription for an Eli Lilly drug. But it might not be.
Lilly’s third-party telehealth physician is paid in part by Lilly to write prescriptions. How do you think that’s going to play out?
It’s also reasonable to wonder if prescription drugs — especially new prescriptions — are something that should be easy to get. Maybe a barrier or two that slows the process can ultimately be in the patient’s best interest.
The biggest question, perhaps, is whether all this high-tech efficiency will result in lower drug prices. It should, economically speaking.
But don’t hold your breath.