FAQ
The questions that decide it.
Straight answers about Elara's physician-guided GLP-1 programs — including the ones other companies bury.
Getting started
A fair question to ask of any telehealth company, and one we would rather answer with verifiable facts than reassurance. Prescriptions through Elara are issued by board-certified physicians practicing with OpenLoop Healthcare Partners PC, an independent affiliated medical group. Medications are prepared by four named, state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacies: RedRock Pharmacy (Utah), Health Warehouse (Kentucky), Precision Compounding Pharmacy (New York), and Triad Rx (Alabama). We publish a Trust and Verification page listing who operates the platform, where medication comes from, and how to verify each claim independently. And you can reach a real person at (659) 208-7272 or support@elarahealthandwellness.com during business hours.
Elara is a fully virtual, physician-guided wellness platform. Start by completing a free 5-minute health assessment. A board-certified physician typically reviews your profile within one business day. If approved, your physician creates a personalized protocol based on your labs and clinical history. Compounded medications are prepared by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy and shipped to your door. You meet with a certified health coach every three weeks and can reach your care team between sessions by phone or email.
In most states, a licensed physician can evaluate you for GLP-1 therapy through telehealth. With Elara, you complete a free online health assessment, a board-certified physician reviews your profile and labs, and, if treatment is clinically appropriate for you, issues a patient-specific prescription filled by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy. A prescription is never guaranteed; it always depends on your physician's clinical judgment.
No. All physician consultations, coaching sessions, and care team communications happen virtually through our secure, HIPAA-compliant platform. Labs are completed at your nearest Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp location.
Telehealth services are available in all 50 states and DC, subject to change based on individual state regulations. During your assessment, your address determines whether your state is currently served. If your state is not currently supported, you will not be charged.
If a board-certified physician determines you are not clinically appropriate for compounded GLP-1 therapy, you will not be charged. There is no cost to complete the health assessment, and no charge if your physician determines this is not the right fit for your health profile.
Safety & oversight
Yes. All Elara physicians are board-certified and licensed in your state. Your physician oversees your entire treatment protocol, reviews your labs, and adjusts your plan based on your clinical response.
Elara works with state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy partners that operate under state pharmacy board oversight: RedRock Pharmacy (Utah), Health Warehouse (Kentucky), Precision Compounding Pharmacy (New York), and Triad Rx (Alabama). Each pharmacy follows quality control, sterility, and patient-specific compounding standards required by their state's pharmacy board.
Compounded GLP-1 therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Your board-certified physician reviews your full health history, current medications, and labs to determine whether treatment is clinically appropriate. Like all medications, GLP-1 therapy carries potential side effects, most commonly gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Your physician manages side effects through careful dose titration and ongoing monitoring. Individual response varies, and results are not guaranteed.
GLP-1 medications are contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). Your physician will also evaluate other contraindications, drug interactions, and risk factors during your clinical review. Discuss your full medical and family history honestly with your physician before starting therapy.
Yes. Elara uses a fully encrypted, HIPAA-compliant platform for all patient communications, medical records, and payment processing.
The medications
Compounded semaglutide is a medication prepared by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy under state pharmacy board oversight, pursuant to a patient-specific prescription issued by a board-certified physician following clinical evaluation. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved as finished drug products; they are prepared on a per-patient basis by licensed compounders rather than manufactured at scale.
FDA-approved brand-name versions are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies and have been reviewed by the FDA for safety, efficacy, and quality as finished drug products. Compounded semaglutide is prepared by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy on a per-patient basis and is not FDA-approved. Compounded medications are not interchangeable with their FDA-approved counterparts and have not undergone the FDA review process. Your physician will determine whether compounded therapy is clinically appropriate for you.
Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist that activates two complementary metabolic pathways, while semaglutide targets GLP-1 receptors only. Compounded tirzepatide is prepared by a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy under state pharmacy board oversight, pursuant to a patient-specific prescription issued by a board-certified physician. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved as a finished drug product.
Semaglutide targets GLP-1 receptors only. Tirzepatide targets both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, providing dual-pathway metabolic support. Your physician will recommend which medication is most appropriate for your specific health profile and goals.
Injectable and oral semaglutide differ in how they are absorbed, and published research on FDA-approved versions has studied each format at different doses, so they are not directly interchangeable comparisons. Which format fits you depends on your preferences, routine, and clinical profile; your physician will recommend one and can switch you later with clinical guidance. Elara prices both formats the same, so the choice is clinical rather than financial.
Yes. Elara offers both injectable (once weekly) and oral (daily tablet) formulations. Your physician will recommend the best option based on your preferences, health profile, and clinical needs. You can switch between formats with physician guidance.
Yes, with physician guidance. Your prescribing physician can transition your protocol based on your clinical response, tolerance, and goals.
Tell every physician involved in any procedure that you take a GLP-1. Anesthesia teams increasingly ask patients to pause these medications before surgery or endoscopy because they slow stomach emptying. Follow your proceduralist's instructions, and let your Elara physician know so your protocol can be adjusted around the procedure. We have published a detailed guide to GLP-1 medications and colonoscopy prep on our blog.
What treatment looks like
Most patients follow a similar arc. Weeks 1-2 cover your physician review, baseline labs, and first shipment. Weeks 3-6 focus on dose titration while your body adjusts; this is when side effects are most common and when your care team matters most. Weeks 7-12 are typically when appetite changes stabilize and coaching shifts toward the nutrition and habit patterns meant to outlast the medication. Your physician adjusts dosing based on your labs and clinical response throughout. Individual timelines vary, and results are not guaranteed.
After your physician approves your protocol and your labs are reviewed, medication typically ships within 5-7 business days. Monthly refills ship automatically.
Your physician typically orders a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), lipid panel, HbA1c, and thyroid function tests. Additional tests may be ordered based on your health history. All labs are included in your subscription.
Labs are typically completed quarterly (every three months). Your physician may request additional labs based on your individual needs and response to treatment.
Labs are completed at any Quest Diagnostics or Labcorp location near you. Both networks have thousands of locations nationwide.
Your health coach works with you on nutrition, fitness, stress management, sleep optimization, and treatment milestones. Coaching is personalized to your goals and lifestyle. Your coach works alongside your physician to ensure your lifestyle supports your clinical protocol.
You meet with your dedicated certified health coach every three weeks via secure video or phone call. Between sessions, you can reach your care team by phone or email.
Pricing & billing
Compounded semaglutide is $249 per month and compounded tirzepatide is $339 per month on the monthly plan. Every plan includes the medication, physician visits, quarterly metabolic labs, certified health coaching, and care team support, with no enrollment fees and no separate lab charges. Longer billing terms (quarterly, semi-annual, or annual) reduce the monthly rate, starting as low as $183 for semaglutide and $267 for tirzepatide. Current rates for every plan are on our pricing page.
Elara's compounded tirzepatide program is $339 per month on the monthly plan as a cash-pay subscription, so no insurance is involved at any point. That price includes physician care, quarterly labs, and health coaching, not just the medication. Longer billing terms reduce the monthly rate to as low as $267. Current rates are on our pricing page.
Your subscription covers compounded medication, physician visits, metabolic labs, certified health coaching, and ongoing care team support, all in one transparent monthly price. There are no enrollment fees, no separate lab fees, and no hidden charges.
No. Elara is a transparent cash-pay program. Your subscription covers everything including medication, physician visits, labs, and coaching. No insurance claims, no prior authorizations, no surprise bills.
We accept all major credit and debit cards. HSA and FSA cards may also be accepted. Payment is processed securely through our HIPAA-compliant platform.
Pausing, switching & canceling
Call your care team at (659) 208-7272 or email support@elarahealthandwellness.com and they will process it; there is nothing to hunt for and no retention obstacle course. Monthly subscribers cancel with no fee. For longer-term plans (quarterly, semi-annual, or annual), early cancellation reconciles your account to the applicable shorter-term rate for the months you actually used. There are no exit penalties and no long-term contracts.
Yes. You can pause coaching sessions for up to 60 days at a time without affecting your medication subscription; just call or email your care team. If you need to pause the full program, switch medication formats, or adjust your billing term, your care team will walk you through the options. There are no penalties for adjusting a plan to fit your life.
Still have questions?
Ask a person, not a chatbot. Call (659) 208-7272 or email support@elarahealthandwellness.com — Mon–Fri 9–5 ET. Or start the free assessment and let a physician review your profile.
Important regulatory information. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are prepared by state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacies under state pharmacy board oversight, pursuant to a patient-specific prescription issued by a board-certified physician following clinical evaluation. These medications are not FDA-approved as finished drug products.
Telehealth services are available in all 50 states and DC, subject to change based on state regulations. Elara Health and Wellness works with the following 503A partner pharmacies: RedRock Pharmacy (St. George, UT), Health Warehouse (Florence, KY), Precision Compounding Pharmacy (Bellmore, NY), and Triad Rx (Daphne, AL).
Wegovy®, Ozempic®, Rybelsus®, Mounjaro®, and Zepbound® are registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers and are not affiliated with Elara Health and Wellness.
Contraindications. GLP-1 medications are contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). Discuss your full medical and family history with your physician before starting therapy. Individual results vary and are not guaranteed.
Still have questions? See our Trust & Verification page for who operates Elara, where medication comes from, and how to verify each claim independently.