Diet Company Medifast, Once an Ozempic Skeptic, Embraces Weight Loss Drugs With LifeMD Telehealth Deal.

Medifast, a weight-loss company known for its non-drug approach, is investing $20 million in telehealth provider LifeMD to give its customers access to doctors who can prescribe weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. This move comes after Medifast's Optavia coaching and food program generated $1.6 billion in revenue in 2022, but struggled to acquire new customers as GLP-1 medications gained popularity. Medifast had previously expressed concerns about the medications' side effects and long-term effects, but now believes they can be safe and effective when combined with healthy eating and exercise. Other weight-loss companies, such as WeightWatchers and Noom, have also entered the market for weight-loss medications. [Extracted from the article]