NEJM Interviews NEJM Interview: Erin Fuse Brown on telehealth arrangements that have prompted concerns about inappropriate prescribing and unnecessary spending.
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Mar 26, 2025 Erin Fuse Brown, a professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, discusses controversial partnerships between pharmaceutical firms and telehealth services. She reveals how these alliances can improve access to medications but may lead to inappropriate prescribing and increased healthcare costs. The conversation highlights the role of targeted advertising and the challenges posed by federal regulations. Brown emphasizes the need for greater transparency and stricter guidelines to protect patients in this rapidly evolving landscape.
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Pharma-Telehealth Partnerships
- Pharmaceutical telehealth partnerships involve consumer websites often hosted on pharma company sites (e.g., Pfizer for All, Lilly Direct).
- These sites offer same-day telehealth appointments and may include copay coupons or other incentives.
Benefits of Partnerships
- These partnerships may increase access to prescriptions for people in rural areas or those who struggle to find appointments.
- Telehealth can also address stigma associated with certain conditions like obesity.
Potential Harms
- Potential harms include inadequate patient evaluation and unnecessary spending on brand-name drugs.
- Telehealth providers may be incentivized to prescribe partner's branded drugs over cheaper alternatives.