How to Get Approved for a GLP-1 Online: Step by Step

Last updated November 11, 2026 · Reviewed by the Gala Health team

The five steps from intake to your door

Step	What happens	Typical timing
1. Online assessment	One question per screen: goals, height and weight, health history, current medicines, then your state and contact details	Minutes, on your phone
2. Choose a plan	You pick a medication and plan, and pay at checkout	Same session
3. Provider review	A licensed provider reviews your answers and may message you or, where required, book a video visit	Typically within 24 hours
4. Prescription	Only if the provider decides it is appropriate for you; it goes to a licensed pharmacy	Typically prescribed and shipped within 48 hours
5. Shipping and follow-up	Free shipping to your home, then messaging with your care team and dose adjustments	Ongoing

Timings are typical, not guaranteed, and depend on the provider review and the pharmacy. If you are disqualified by the medical provider for any medical reason, Gala's refund policy gives you a full refund.

Who qualifies: the label criteria

Brand-name Wegovy® and Zepbound® are approved for adults with obesity, or with overweight and at least one weight-related condition. In the main trials behind those labels, that meant a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a condition such as high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol or sleep apnea.

Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, so they have no label of their own. Your provider looks at the whole picture: your BMI, weight-related conditions, medical history, other medicines and any GLP-1 you already take. Gala also offers a lower-dose plan for some patients, and the provider decides which option, if any, fits you.

Answers that end the online intake

Some answers mean a GLP-1 cannot be prescribed safely online, and the intake stops there before you pay. Gala publishes these rules in the assessment itself:

Age under 18 (under 19 in Nebraska) or over 74.
A BMI under 20, calculated from the height and weight you enter.
Being pregnant or breastfeeding.
A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2, a history of pancreatitis, or a prior serious allergic reaction to a GLP-1 medicine.
Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes on insulin or with an A1c above 10%, or diabetic retinopathy and certain other eye conditions.
Severe kidney, liver or gastrointestinal disease (such as gastroparesis or a bowel blockage), cancer that is active or less than 5 years in remission (simple excised non-melanoma skin cancer aside), or an organ transplant on anti-rejection medicine.
A heart attack or stroke in the past year, a resting heart rate above 110, or for most patients a blood pressure of 160/100 or higher.
A current or past eating disorder, current suicidal thoughts or a past attempt, untreated substance use, or use of warfarin.

Other conditions do not end the intake but go to the provider for review, sometimes with a request for more information.

How to make the review go smoothly

Enter your real height and weight. BMI drives the dose plan as well as eligibility.
List every medicine and supplement, and any medication allergy.
If you already take a GLP-1, give the exact dose and the date of your last dose. See switching GLP-1 providers.
Use the last question to tell the provider anything that does not fit the boxes.
Watch your messages in the Gala GLP-1 app. If the provider needs more information, that is where you hear about it.

Gala reviews GLP-1 patients by message by default, but some states and some health situations require a video call. Our guide on whether you need a video visit lists when.

What if I am not approved?

If the intake ends early, you have not paid. If the provider declines after checkout for a medical reason, the refund policy gives a full refund. A decline is a safety decision about a GLP-1 for you right now, and it is worth sharing the reason with your own doctor, who knows your full history.

Getting started with Gala

Gala offers compounded semaglutide, compounded tirzepatide and brand-name Ozempic®. Licensed providers review every assessment and prescribe only when appropriate; prescriptions are filled by licensed pharmacies, all doses are included in the plan price and there is no membership fee. Read how Gala works on the about page or compare options on the weight loss hub.

When you are ready, start your online GLP-1 assessment.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Eligibility is decided by a licensed provider.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get approved for a GLP-1 online?

At Gala, the assessment takes minutes, and a licensed provider typically reviews it within 24 hours. If a prescription is appropriate, medication is typically prescribed and shipped within 48 hours. A required video visit or a request for more information can add time.

What BMI do I need for a GLP-1?

The brand-name labels cover adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition, which in the main trials meant a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a condition. Gala's online intake stops below a BMI of 20, and above that the provider weighs your BMI with your health history.

Do I pay before the provider reviews my answers?

Yes. You choose a plan and pay at checkout, and the provider review follows. If the provider disqualifies you for a medical reason, Gala's refund policy gives you a full refund.

What disqualifies you from a GLP-1?

Gala's intake ends for pregnancy or breastfeeding, a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2, pancreatitis, type 1 diabetes, certain severe kidney, liver, heart or digestive conditions, and a few other answers listed in the assessment. Other conditions go to the provider for review.

Do I need insurance to get approved?

No. Gala does not require insurance. Approval depends on the provider's medical review, not on coverage.

Ready to talk to a provider?

Your answers go to a licensed provider, who decides whether treatment is right for you. Learn more about Weight Loss.

Start your GLP-1 assessment

Sources

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk to a licensed provider about your own health.

How to Get Approved for a GLP-1 Online: The Steps and the Rules