Former X CEO Yaccarino takes helm at GLP-1 focused telehealth firm eMed

Linda Yaccarino is taking the top job at eMed Population Health, a telehealth startup focused on GLP-1 weight loss drugs, nearly a month after stepping down as CEO of social media platform X.

Yaccarino, an advertising industry veteran, exited Elon Musk’s X after two turbulent years during which she tried to revive its reputation among advertisers, who were wary of the platform’s content as well as the billionaire’s steady stream of controversial posts.

Although devoid of any experience in the health sector, she brings deep expertise in brand partnerships and digital revenue growth.

At NBCUniversal, Linda Yaccarino modernised the global advertising business over a decade. At X, she helped regain advertiser confidence following turbulence under Musk’s ownership.

In her first public statement following her appointment on Tuesday, Yaccarino said, “There is an opportunity to combine technology, lifestyle, and data in a new powerful way through the digital channels that impact consumers directly in ways that have never been done before.”

Miami, Florida-based eMed, founded in 2020, partners with employers and government payers to manage GLP-1 usage, a class of obesity and diabetes drugs whose cost burden has been a barrier to a wider insurance coverage.

Several telehealth platforms are competing for a slice of the booming GLP-1 weight-loss market, reflecting a broader push to merge pharma and digital care. But the sector is drawing increased scrutiny over safety, marketing and regulatory gaps as demand and competition grow.

“I think her [Linda Yaccarino] talents in digital marketing and advertising are important, especially as the industry becomes more of a direct-to-consumer business,” said Jeff Jonas, PM at Gabelli Funds. “President Trump has been encouraging this as well, although we’re still in the very early days of Hims and LillyDirect with the associated growing pains.”

The company claims its platform can cut costs of a weight loss program by up to 50 percent, offering live, on-demand care without appointments.

EMed gained traction during the pandemic with at-home COVID-19 tests and later expanded into diagnostics for strep throat and UTIs, though it has since moved away from those offerings.

The company currently employs between 51 and 200 people, according to its LinkedIn page.