Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center vs DrBrainRx
Two GLP-1 programs on the bench, scored on the same six factors. Here's how their real cost of ownership compares — and which one we'd start with.
Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center
Cost-first shoppers who want maine-based or Central-Maine patients wanting an experienced, board-certified physician offering sublingual ODT GLP-1 options.
Visit Dr. Gillis' Wellness CenterDrBrainRx
Shoppers willing to add a $25/month care fee onto the flat headline medication price.
Visit DrBrainRxThe verdict
Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center and DrBrainRx tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 65/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center (ranked #159, a hair above #160) — Cost-first shoppers who want maine-based or Central-Maine patients wanting an experienced, board-certified physician offering sublingual ODT GLP-1 options. But DrBrainRx is a genuine coin-flip alternative here.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the ranking). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center.
Factor by factor
Both providers scored on our six Cost-Efficiency Index factors. The stronger side on each row is marked in teal.
Normalized Cost/Month
Price Transparency
Nationwide Access
Formulation Options
Clinical Oversight
Contract Flexibility
Pricing, coverage & formulary
The disclosed facts behind the scores. Lower price wins its row (teal).
| Spec | Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center | DrBrainRx |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 65/100 | 65/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $250/mo (starting dose, compounded oral) | $224/mo (all doses, plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $325/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $324/mo (all doses, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $3,000 | $2,688 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,900 | $3,888 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #159 | #160 |
Dr. Gillis' Wellness Center
65/100Where the value is
- Led by a board-certified physician/surgeon with 25+ years of experience per the practice's own materials
- Offers a broad GLP-1 menu — semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide — in both injectable and needle-free sublingual ODT form
- No long-term contracts; flexible weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly dosing cadence
The tradeoffs
- The advertised '$149 starting dose' is just that — a starting dose. The practice's own dedicated pricing page lists semaglutide 'Starting at $250/Month' and tirzepatide 'Starting at $325/month,' both well above the promotional figure
- Nationwide/all-50-states coverage could not be confirmed on the practice's own site; third-party directories describe it as a Central Maine practice
DrBrainRx
65/100Where the value is
- Named, credentialed medical director (Dr. Sara Siavoshi, board-certified neurologist and obesity-medicine specialist), not an anonymous provider pool
- Flat 'all doses' pricing with no upcharge as the patient titrates up, on the medication line itself
- Refills are explicitly patient-initiated and never auto-charged — a real anti-dark-pattern commitment
The tradeoffs
- The advertised $199/$299 headline prices exclude a separate $25/month 'care fee' that applies to every compounded order — the real all-in cost is $224/$324, roughly 8-13% higher than the number shown up front
- No compounding pharmacy named beyond a generic 'USP-certified pharmacies in the U.S.' reference
Assume any provider we list may compensate us — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes the Cost-Efficiency Index. Pricing, states and verification reflect each provider's public disclosures at last review; prices change — confirm on the provider's site. Not medical advice. See our disclosure.