Tom Brady is newest face of GLP-1s, joining telehealth startup

Tom Brady is bringing together two of America’s favorite pastimes: football and weight-loss drugs.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion is the new chief wellness officer of eMed, a digital health startup that helps companies manage the high costs associated with covering popular weight-loss drugs for their employees. Brady’s role is to help build awareness for the company, which started out selling Covid tests, but pivoted into weight loss last year. He’ll also serve on the board of directors.
“There are a lot of companies out there, but eMed stood out because they’re building something different; high-quality care, best-in-class service, top practitioners, all focused on prevention and long term health,” Brady told Bloomberg News. “That’s what I care about. I want to be part of something that could really help people.”
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Weight-loss drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy have taken the world by storm. In just a few years, millions of people have turned to the medications, called GLP-1s, to lose weight. They work by mimicking a hormone that makes people feel full and eat less with relatively few side effects.
Yet, access remains a barrier for many patients. In the US, employers typically decide whether or not to cover the drugs, and currently about 43 percent of companies with more than 5,000 workers cover weight-loss medications, according to a recent survey from KFF. Many cite costs as a reason not to cover them, despite weight-loss drugs being one of the most requested benefits.
This created an opportunity for companies like eMed that offer so-called cost management solutions for employers who cover the medications. The startup, which is closely held, says that eMed members have a more than 90 percent adherence to their medications.
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The company also offers a monthly subscription for $139 to people that want to connect with a doctor and get a prescription for Wegovy or a new pill version that launched earlier this month.
“Everyone deserves access to information and treatments that support their health,” Brady said. “eMed’s not just offering meds – they’re offering a full program, a real shot at long-term change.”
Brady, long known for his athletic prowess and discipline, declined to comment on whether he’s tried one of the drugs. Zepbound and Wegovy are approved for people with obesity and related conditions.
Celebrity endorsements are a way for telehealth companies to boost their cachet at a time when they’re locked in a fierce battle for patients. Telehealth company Ro tapped Serena Williams to be the face of a new weight-loss campaign last year. Basketball legend Charles Barkley also joined Ro as a patient ambassador after his weight became a regular punchline on Inside the NBA, the show he co-hosts with Shaquille O’Neal.
For its part, eMed says that Brady’s personal philosophy aligns with how the company thinks GLP-1s should be used.
“The way he’s approached his personal and professional life is the perfect demonstration of what eMed represents,” said Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino, who previously ran Elon Musk’s social media site X. “Working with experts, following the science, avoiding shortcuts to achieve greatness.”