As 2024 comes to a close, it’s impossible to look back without recognizing how the Release the Vials campaign, and issues of overall accessibility dominated the year for On The Pen. RTV started as a rallying cry for added accessibility to GLP-1 medications but quickly became a symbol of the broader struggles patients face: affordability, transparency, and equity.
But 2024 wasn’t just about vials—it was about a community coming together, proving that we can make meaningful and impactful change when we band together, laying the foundation for even bigger battles in 2025. The question now is: what are those battles, and how will we fight them?
2024: The Year of Release the Vials
The Release the Vials campaign became a central focus of On The Pen content this year. From its early days in March and April, when we called on Eli Lilly to address vial shortages, to its culmination with a phone call with Lilly’s CEO (Dave Ricks) and a partial rollout of Zepbound vials, this campaign reflected the power of collective advocacy.
The wins were real, but they were also incomplete. While the release of vials directly to consumers was a huge step forward, cutting out PBMs and slashing the cost of branded medication, critical higher doses remain unavailable. Lilly’s pricing structure, while transparent, remains inaccessible for many. These issues became a defining conversation for our community: celebrating progress while continuing to call for Lilly to #ReleaseAllTheVials.
At the same time, the battle over compounded tirzepatide escalated. Lilly and the FDA’s moves to limit compounded alternatives—highlighted by the removal of tirzepatide from the FDA shortage list (despite supply issues persisting on the ground)—could leave many patients with no affordable options. This marked a shift in the fight, moving the goalpost from simply releasing vials to addressing the systemic challenges in drug accessibility.
Key Moments That Defined 2024
The year wasn’t just about vials. Other major moments shaped our advocacy and the conversations around affordable and accessible GLP-1 medications:
Generic Liraglutide Announcements: A step toward more affordable options but still far from solving the broader affordability issue.
FDA Oversight Challenges: The fight over compounded medications became a central theme, with the FDA's decisions impacting patient access.
Community Growth: The On The Pen community grew to over 100,000 members, amplifying our collective voice and influence.
Overcoming Massive Censorship: TikTok and Facebook especially throttled and delisted advocacy videos published and groups managed by On The Pen in 2024, an issue highlighted in Seeking Alpha and Business Insider. At one point, our
Advocacy Wins: Coverage in Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance, and other outlets helped bring issues of advocacy into the mainstream.
Acknowledgements and Accolades: On The Pen was nominated for several podcast awards in 2024 and even won "The People's Choice" award for 2024!
The Launch of the On The Pen Book: Combating the false narratives around GLP-1 medications
2024 was a year of both progress and setbacks, but most importantly, it was a year that proved what we can accomplish together.
2025: A New Fight for Accessibility
Looking ahead, 2025 will require us to band together like never before. The battles are clear:
#ReleaseAllTheVials: Lilly must release all vial dosages and ensure pricing remains accessible, particularly for higher doses. The fight isn’t over until every patient has access to what they need.
Operation Warp Speed: Obesity: We’re calling for a national initiative to prioritize obesity treatments, similar to how the pandemic accelerated vaccine development. This is the systemic shift we need. Learn More
Drug Shortage Transparency: Big Pharma’s reporting of shortages must become more transparent, and the FDA must improve how it communicates this information to the public Learn More.
Medicare and Medicade Expansion for GLP-1s: We will push for the incoming Trump administration to build on Biden’s efforts to expand Medicare access to GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Learn More
These are just the beginning of the battles we’ll be fighting. The landscape is shifting, and 2025 will demand strategic, collective action to create meaningful change.
A Call to Unity and Action
If 2024 was the year of Release the Vials, let 2025 be the year of Together for Change. The path forward is clear: we must unite as a community, advocate louder than ever, and push for policies and practices that prioritize patients over profits.
Let’s rally around these goals and keep the momentum going. Share this article, get involved in the conversations, and help drive awareness. On The Pen will continue to be your hub for updates, advocacy, and insights as we move into this critical year.
Stay tuned to OnThePen.com for more updates and in-depth analysis on the latest developments in weight loss and diabetes treatments. Sharing this article is a powerful form of advocacy that brings us closer to our goal of educating the masses and reducing the stigma of obesity. If you found this article insightful, please share it within your networks, especially in Facebook groups and Reddit forums dedicated to GLP-1 medications and diabetes management. Together, we can make a difference.
I just wish Eli Lily would lead the way and be the first to make “the change” and be the first to show they actually do care and have a heart for people and do away with the financial greed. Bring prices for the GLP-1 drugs WAY down so anyone can afford them and insurance will cover.. So many people are benefiting from these meds in SO many ways, including myself. I’ve never felt so good! Who knows, they may be the ones to set the example and other drug manufactures/companies will follow when they see the positive response Lily makes from making the meds very affordable for all. Someone has to be the first and lead the way!!!! Why…