There’s a lot of misinformation online attached to men’s health products. It’s very possible to accidentally purchase a product that’s unproven, unsafe, or sold through an illegitimate or fraudulent website.
For anyone just starting to research men’s health products or seek treatment for common health concerns, it can seem like there are tons of products making some big claims about what they can do for you. But do these products actually work?
At Healthline, we want to cut through the noise and surface the most reputable platforms and products. Our vetting and scoring process is designed to weed out products and brands that don’t meet our safety standards or that make exaggerated and unproven claims.
Keep reading for an in-depth look at our process for evaluating men’s telehealth platforms.
In order for a telehealth platform to be included as a recommendation, it must first pass the standards of our Brand and Content Integrity (BCI) and editorial teams.
Our BCI team will evaluate a new platform based on the quality of its products and the research available to back up its claims. BCI will only approve brands that advertise legitimate, verifiable claims that also align with Healthline’s approach to health and well-being.
BCI will disqualify a platform if it has:
- any unethical business practices
- deceptive or misleading advertising
- medications or products with misrepresentative marketing
In addition, our editorial team will research a telehealth platform’s reputation and require legitimate studies and evidence that prove the effectiveness of the medication the platform offers.
We will always investigate the quality of services provided through a combination of firsthand experiences, or hands-on reviews, and customer ratings and experiences.
Our editorial team will disqualify a platform if we encounter:
- high rates of user dissatisfaction
- products not matching what was advertised
- frequent claims of unusual or fraudulent billing practices
- frequent reports of poor customer service
If a telehealth platform passes our extensive vetting process, we will run it through our five-category scoring rubric, which can help you better decide if a company best matches your needs. Our five core categories include:
- diversity of offerings
- website user experience
- convenience of service
- cost
- service availability
Platforms can earn between 0 and 5 points in each of the 5 categories. We take the average of each category to give a final rating of 0–5 stars.
Diversity of offerings
We value platforms that offer customers a variety of choices and options. Platforms offering both prescription and over-the-counter treatments along with other products that can treat a range of men’s health conditions score the highest.
| Variety of products | Available points |
|---|---|
| Are brand-name medications offered? | 1.5 |
| Are generic medications offered? | 1.5 |
| Are medications available at different dosages? | 1 |
| Are products offered to treat a range of conditions? | 1 |
Website user experience
Even the best telehealth platforms can be stalled by a poorly formatted or buggy website. That’s why we prioritize how easy or difficult a website is to navigate and research.
Websites that are forthcoming with information and offer ways to get your questions answered by a real person score the highest.
| Website elements | Available points |
|---|---|
| Is a full price breakdown visible before a survey or account creation? | 1 |
| Is a list of frequently asked questions and answers available on the website? | 1 |
| Is there a chat feature for customer questions? | 0.5 |
| — If so, can you chat with a real person? | 0.5 |
| Does the platform have an app connected to the website? | 2 |
Convenience of service
In addition to evaluating the quality of service, we also look into how easy and convenient each telehealth platform is to use.
Platforms that allow users to meet with a prescribing healthcare professional as soon as possible and offer options for discreet shipping and local pharmacy pickup score the highest.
| Benefits for users | Available points |
|---|---|
| Can you be connected with a healthcare professional online? | 1 |
| Can your prescription be sent to a local pharmacy? | 1 |
| Can you receive a prescription fully online through a doctor? | 1 |
| Are same-day appointments generally available? | 1 |
| Does the platform offer discreet shipping and packaging? | 1 |
Cost
A key factor in deciding which telehealth platform may be right for you is how much it will actually cost.
While the price for brand-name drugs tends to stay about the same across platforms, we reward companies with lower prices for generic medications.
Telehealth platforms with free shipping and low cost generic medications that accept insurance, health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), or flexible spending account (FSA) cards, and that don’t require a subscription, score the highest.
| Cost elements | Available points (5 points maximum) |
|---|---|
| Price for generic medication per dose | 3–4 |
| — $4 or more (3 points) | |
| — $2 or $3 (3.5 points) | |
| — Less than $2 (4 points) | |
| Ease of payment | 0–1 |
| — Accepts insurance, HSA, HRA, FSA? (0.5 if yes) | |
| — Is a subscription required? (0.5 if no) | |
| Free shipping? | 0.5 |
Service availability
Some platforms are unable to meet telehealth and virtual prescription requirements to serve certain U.S. states. Our scoring system accounts for this and cases where services are able to operate outside of the United States.
Platforms serving all 50 U.S. states and other countries score the highest.
| User location | Available points |
|---|---|
| Where is the service available? | 3–5 |
| — Fewer than all 50 U.S. states (3 points) | |
| — All 50 U.S. states (4 points) | |
| — All 50 U.S. states and other countries (5 points) |
At Healthline, we want our readers to trust that each of our recommendations is backed by scientific studies and evidence that proves its quality and effectiveness.
We recognize the sensitive nature of many of the topics we discuss in men’s health, like erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and hair loss, and the need to find an effective treatment that is delivered discreetly.
We hope that through our researched and vetted recommendations, you can find the answers you’re looking for to help make an informed, confident decision for better health.