The digital gateway to men’s health: a narrative review of direct-to-consumer healthcare platforms

Akash U. Patel^1,*, Joshua Schammel², Cory Faw¹, Richard J. Fantus³, Joshua A. Halpern^4,5, Justin M. Dubin⁶
1 Department of Urology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
2 Department of Urology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
3 Department of Urology, University of Kansas, Overland Park, KS, USA
4 Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
5 Posterity Health, Centennial, CO, USA
6 Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, USA
* Corresponding Author: Akash U. Patel. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Men's Health: The Latest in Andrology, Male Infertility, and Sexual Medicine)

Canadian Journal of Urology https://doi.org/10.32604/cju.2026.081267

Received 10 March 2026; Accepted 05 August 2026; Published online 10 September 2026

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Abstract

The rapid expansion of telemedicine and direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms has redefined how patients, particularly men, access evaluation and treatment for sensitive health concerns. These models offer convenience and rapid access to care for conditions with limited insurance coverage and limited specialist availability. By offering discreet and highly marketed routes for treatment, DTC platforms have effectively normalized discussions of conditions such as erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism, while also driving consumer demand. However, DTC platforms may lack adequate clinical evaluation, including physical examination, comprehensive history-taking, integration with broader healthcare systems, and adherence to evidence-based guidelines. As the landscape of men’s healthcare continues to evolve, healthcare providers play a critical role in reinforcing evidence-based practice and patient education as they provide high-quality clinical care. The objective of this narrative review is to characterize the current landscape of DTC platforms in men’s health to help inform clinicians as they work to navigate this evolving space.