Eli Lilly has launched LillyDirect, an online platform that will dispense the GLP‑1 drug tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro, straight to patients’ homes.

The service works by having a doctor issue an electronic script, which is then sent to an online third‑party pharmacist who prepares the injection and arranges home delivery.

Doctors, pharmacists, RACGP president Michael Wright and the Pharmacy Guild have criticised the model, saying it reduces oversight and could put patients at risk.

Critics argue that online dispensing may not give pharmacists full access to a patient’s medical record, increasing the chance of serious side effects, inappropriate use and even a fatal overdose case linked to telehealth prescribing.

Mounjaro can cost up to $700 a month when bought privately, but some users of LillyDirect have reported the price to be about $50 cheaper than the usual private price.

Eli Lilly counters that LillyDirect improves affordability and convenience, and that the platform operates within existing regulatory frameworks without bypassing pharmacists.