Digital healthcare company Ro offers prescriptions for hair loss, menopause, and sexual health.
Now it's becoming the first online pharmacy to offer FDA-approved allergy treatments. The segment includes up to 50 million people in the U.S. who suffer from the chronic condition.
"If you look at a condition like allergies, it's perfect for our platform," Dr. Melynda Barnes, vice president of medical affairs, told Cheddar. "We have the capability of doing everything from diagnosis to delivery of treatment."
Ro is the parent company behind digital health clinics Roman (for men) and Rory (for women) as well as a service for dealing with nicotine addiction called Zero.
Its platforms will offer allergy medicine to patients, which furthers the startup's goal of serving as a one-stop-shop for basic health needs.
"Our goal at Ro is to be a patient's first call, and for us, that means moving toward a primary care practice," Barnes said.
Though many allergy treatments are available over the counter, research shows that 80 percent of people choose the incorrect medication on their own. Using telehealth options for quick access to a certified physician, Ro hopes to take out the guesswork for patients.
"I don't think we'll ever replace in-person care," Barnes said. "In fact, at Ro, our goal is to be a complement to our in-person colleagues."
But that hasn't stopped Ro from expanding into other aspects of personal healthcare, including spreading knowledge to patients online.
The company recently launched Health Guide, a medical handbook that is 30 percent written by doctors and 100 reviewed by them. Ro is promoting the service as a competitor to WebMD.
"Right now, we know that physicians feel like they can spend more time with really sick patients if they can take care of healthier patients through an alternative health care model like telemedicine," Barnes said.
Disney on Tuesday asked a state judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a governing board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney World, claiming the company has been the victim of the “weaponizing” powers of government aimed at punishing it for opposing a law dubbed “Don't Say Gay” by critics.
Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes appears to be soon bound for prison after an appeals court Tuesday rejected her bid to remain free while she tries to overturn her conviction in a blood-testing hoax that brought her fleeting fame and fortune.
Cheddar News checks in on what to look out for on The Day Ahead as earnings season continues with TJX Cos., Target and Take Two Interactive among those reporting on Wednesday. April housing starts data is also set to be released while Netflix will hold its upfront presentation virtually amid a continued writers' strike.
Billy McFarland, who served four years in prison for the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas that saw investors lose millions, is back. McFarland joined Cheddar News to explain a new Fyre Festival he is planning along with a Broadway musical, both in the works.
Retail sales saw a modest uptick in April as inflation eased somewhat as consumers look toward the summer season to spend some more. Mario Payne, financial planner for Toams Financial, joined Cheddar News to provide some guidance on how to work up a responsible summer budget plan.
Dryden Pence, chief investment officer with Pence Capital, joined Cheddar News to discuss Tuesday's market session and touched on what the Federal Reserve may decide on at its next meeting as inflation continues to play a role and consumer spending remains firm.
