Telemedicine startup Quel launches GLP-1 based addiction treatment across 41 states
Quel, a new telemedicine firm, is now prescribing off-label GLP-1 drugs for food, sex, alcohol and opioid addictions in 41 U.S. states, extending a program first tried at Caron Treatment Centers.
Quel has entered the telehealth market as the first venture dedicated to delivering GLP-1 medications for addiction treatment, covering food, sex, alcohol and opioid dependencies in 41 states. The service expands on a pilot program at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, where semaglutide was administered to patients with substance-use issues. Steven Klein, co-founder and chief medical officer, acknowledges that the prescriptions are off-label, as the FDA has not yet cleared GLP-1s for this purpose.
Recent research, including dozens of clinical trials, suggests GLP-1s may reduce cravings, particularly for alcohol. By offering the drugs through a virtual platform, Quel hopes to make this experimental therapy more widely accessible while the scientific community continues to evaluate its efficacy and safety.
Why it matters
GLP-1 drugs could become a widely accessible telehealth option for treating various addictions, reshaping how substance-use disorders are managed.
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