“I used medication to overcome alcohol addiction. I’ve built my business on it.”
Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, founder and CEO of Oar Health, the virtual treatment platform helping people reduce or stop drinking entirely with medication-assisted care, is featured this week in Fortune– great read (or 4 minute listen).
Oar Health, which was founded in 2020 and launched in January 2021, avoids the trope of insisting on the same clinical goal for every patient that it cares for across the USA.
For Jonathan and the team at Oar Health, both abstinence and moderation are equally good goals for those with the clinical qualification that is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which is the firm’s singular clinical focus.
AUD is a chronic medical condition where a person’s drinking becomes difficult to control, leading to significant problems at work, school, or home, and continued use despite negative social, health, or occupational consequences. It is a spectrum disorder, with varying levels of severity, that replaces the older terms of alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and alcoholism. AUD involves both behavioral and physical symptoms, such as cravings, withdrawal, and a physical dependence on alcohol.
Approximately 28 million Americans aged 12 and older struggle with AUD, yet only 2.5 percent of people are prescribed any medication to help them drink less or quit, despite decades of clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness.
PHOTO: Fortune Magazine
How People Use Oar Health
“We want to be much more members-led, allowing people to select the options that feel right for them in the moments that matter most,” Hunt-Glassman said.
Patients are able to access the company’s digital DSM-V-based patient assessment and intake form online at any time, quite purposely not setting rigid schedules of appointments, and access to on-demand services and content.
And Oar Health has four core elements — a dynamic assessment tool available at all times that is then the basis for a clinician-built treatment plan; access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), potentially with prescription fulfillment through Oar’s partner pharmacy; nifty digital tools through iOS and Android apps; and unlimited ongoing access to clinicians for follow-up.
Oar Health reports that its members experienced significant benefits after using their Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) platform for alcohol use disorder (AUD), with 79% reporting better sleep, 69% better work performance, and 46% weight loss. These results demonstrate improvements in overall health and well-being, including more energy and reduced alcohol cravings, by utilizing FDA-approved medication, such as naltrexone, to help individuals drink less or quit entirely.
And now the innovative digital health firm has helped over 50,000 patients.
From 08/26/2025: “NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE) — Oar Health, a virtual care platform offering FDA-approved medication to help people drink less or quit, today announced it has surpassed 50,000 patients served, a major milestone in its mission to make treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) more accessible, effective, and stigma-free. This milestone, paired with the company’s 108 percent year-over-year member growth, underscores the rising demand for a reimagined approach to alcohol treatment.”
A seminal study by the firm in 2022 showed that nearly a third of Americans want to change their relationship with alcohol but don’t know how . Apps like Reframe are newer entrants in this same space.
From the study–
o Nearly 40% of Americans at severe or high risk of alcohol misuse want to drink less or quit
o Less than 20% of Americans who want to drink less or quit are familiar with FDA-approved medications that can help
o Privacy and affordability are top priorities for those seeking treatment today.