Trust in telehealth requires transparency. When we recommend a provider, you deserve to know exactly what criteria we used, how we weighted them, and what conflicts of interest exist. This article explains our complete rating process — no black boxes, no secret algorithms.
The Three Pillars of Our Ratings
Pillar 1: Safety
Safety is non-negotiable and functions as a pass/fail gate before any other scoring applies. We verify that the platform uses US-licensed prescribers (MD, DO, NP, or PA with prescriptive authority), medications are dispensed by FDA-registered pharmacies, proper medical intake and contraindication screening are performed, and no active FDA warning letters or enforcement actions are outstanding against the provider or its pharmacy partners. Providers that fail any safety criterion are not recommended regardless of other qualities.
Pillar 2: Quality
Quality scoring measures the depth and consistency of care you receive. This includes clinical follow-up frequency (how often you interact with a provider after the initial prescription), dose titration management (whether adjustments are physician-guided or left to you), side effect support (access to clinical guidance when problems arise), patient education (quality of information provided about medication, nutrition, and expectations), and outcome tracking (whether the platform measures and shares weight loss outcomes). Higher-touch platforms with structured follow-up consistently outscore prescription-only services.
Pillar 3: Value
Value isn't about being cheapest — it's about what you get for what you pay. We assess total monthly cost at maintenance dose (not introductory pricing), what's included vs what costs extra (consultations, shipping, labs), billing transparency (are prices clearly published or hidden behind intake forms?), flexibility (pause, cancel, switch medication without penalties), and refund policies for unopened medication or service dissatisfaction.
The Weighting
Safety: pass/fail gate (no points — either you qualify or you don't). Quality: 60% of the numerical score. Value: 40% of the numerical score. We intentionally weight quality higher because a cheap platform with poor clinical support wastes your money and risks your health.
Our Conflict of Interest Policy
We earn affiliate commissions from some providers. We believe full transparency is the only ethical approach. Every affiliate link is labeled "Paid link." Our scoring rubric is published (this article). We review non-affiliate providers using identical criteria. We have rejected affiliate partnerships with providers that failed our safety gate. Affiliate commission rates do not influence rankings — a $175 CPA provider can outrank a $400 CPA provider if quality and value scores warrant it.
How We Gather Data
Our evaluation process combines direct testing (we complete intake processes ourselves), public record review (FDA databases, state licensing verification, LegitScript certification), user feedback analysis (aggregated from review platforms — not fabricated testimonials), and provider interviews (when providers agree to answer our standardized questionnaire). We re-evaluate providers quarterly and update scores when material changes occur.
What triggers an immediate review: FDA warning letters, patient safety complaints, significant pricing changes, pharmacy compliance failures, or leadership changes. We don't wait for quarterly reviews when safety is at stake.
Our Current Top-Rated Providers
All providers are US-licensed telehealth platforms. Availability varies by state.
⚕️ Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed pharmacies under physician supervision.
⚕️ Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed pharmacies under physician supervision.
Your Feedback Matters
Our ratings are only as good as our data. If you've had an experience — positive or negative — with a provider we review, we want to hear about it. Patient experience data improves our scoring accuracy and helps other people make better decisions. Use our contact page to share your experience.
Sources & References
- FTC. Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 2024.
- FDA. Drug Establishment Registration and Listing. Pharmacy verification.
- LegitScript. Certification Standards for Healthcare Merchants. 2025.
- NCQA. Telehealth Accreditation Standards. 2025.