GLP-1s Can Cost Hundreds a Month. So Why Is This One Only $89? - VICE

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If you’ve looked into GLP-1s and immediately backed away from the price, I get it.

These medications have become blockbuster products, complete with celebrity endorsements and massive ad campaigns. Shaquille O’Neal has appeared in a Zepbound campaign, and Elon Musk famously credited Wegovy with helping him lose weight.

But the prices can feel boujee, too. Wegovy’s current self-pay offer drops to $199 for the first two months for new patients, but then rises to $349 per month for standard injection doses. Zepbound starts at $299 per month through LillyDirect, with some higher doses costing $399 to $449.

So when I came across a GLP-1 program starting at $89 a month without insurance, my first thought was basically: OK, what’s the catch?

The answer is less mysterious than it sounds. Arbor isn’t selling brand-name Wegovy or Zepbound. Its $89 program uses compounded semaglutide, while its other option is compounded tirzepatide starting at $119.

That distinction is important, and explains why comparing the prices isn’t exactly apples to apples.

The biggest difference is what you’re actually getting.

Wegovy is an FDA-approved brand-name semaglutide medication, while Zepbound is an FDA-approved brand-name tirzepatide medication. Arbor’s versions are compounded medications prescribed through its telehealth platform.

But what does compounded even mean? In plain English, compounding is when a licensed pharmacist or other qualified professional combines, mixes, or alters drug ingredients to make a medication for a patient, rather than dispensing the finished FDA-approved drug sold by a pharmaceutical manufacturer. And no, that doesn’t just mean “generic.” Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, which means the FDA does not review them before they’re marketed. Don’t fret, though, licensed healthcare professionals at Arbor are still handling it for you.

Arbor also operates as a cash-pay program, so insurance isn’t required. The monthly price includes the medication as well as provider consultations, ongoing check-ins, dose adjustments, support, and shipping.

And if you’re now wondering what the actual difference is between $89 semaglutide and $119 tirzepatide, you’re not alone. They work differently, and one isn’t “better” than the other. Arbor starts with an online health assessment reviewed by a licensed provider, who determines if treatment is appropriate and which option may make sense for you.

That’s probably a more useful way to figure it out than picking whichever drug name you’ve heard more often on TikTok.

Arbor’s initial eligibility quiz takes about 90 seconds. If a provider determines treatment is appropriate and writes a prescription, the medication is dispensed by a licensed pharmacy and shipped directly to you.

There’s no separate membership fee, and Arbor says members can cancel anytime.The compounded-medication distinction is still a meaningful one. An $89 compounded semaglutide program is not simply an $89 box of Wegovy, and anyone considering it should understand that before comparing prices alone.

But if paying $300 or $400 every month has been the thing keeping you from even looking into GLP-1 treatment, seeing what that $89 option actually involves might be worth the 90-second quiz.

Arbor is a technology platform; medical evaluations are conducted by independent licensed providers who determine whether treatment is appropriate. Compounded medications are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Consultation requirements vary by state.