Quel, a newly announced telemedicine company, is positioning itself as the first venture specifically designed around GLP-1 medications for addiction treatment. The service is available across 41 states and builds upon a treatment model that was initially tested at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania. The expansion reflects growing interest in using these medications beyond their original approved indications.
GLP-1 medications, which include semaglutide, will be prescribed off-label for addiction treatment, as the FDA has not approved this class of drugs for substance use disorders. According to Steven Klein, a co-founder and chief medical officer at Quel, the medications are being used off-label to address various forms of addiction, including food, sex, alcohol, and opioid use disorders. This approach represents an extension of work previously documented at elite treatment centers.
The move comes as clinical research into GLP-1s and substance use has expanded significantly. At the time Quel’s model was first being tested, only a handful of clinical trials existed examining whether GLP-1s could reduce substance use. Since then, dozens of additional studies have been initiated, with many focusing specifically on alcohol use disorder. The growing body of research has contributed to increased interest in exploring these medications for addiction treatment, though the field remains relatively new and largely uncharted from a regulatory perspective.
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