The Journal: Long-Form Analysis, Every Figure Dated

Published: 2026-07-31 · Last reviewed: 2026-08-04 · Methodology v4.1
This page is maintained. Prices are re-read at source and dated; evidence is checked against the published trial. Newest across the site: news · journal · corrections.

15 long-form pieces. Each one is built on named trials, published price guides and regulator statements, with the date we read each source on the page. Newest: August 4, 2026.

· Long read

The GLP-1 Patent Cliff: Why a Generic Arrives in Canada Before the United States

Semaglutide's foundational patent expired 20 March 2026 in India, China, Brazil and South Africa and lapsed in Canada. US protection runs to at least 2032. The dates, market by market.

· Long read

Peptides, Ranked by Evidence: What Has a Phase 3 Trial and What Has a Forum Post

BPC-157, TB-500, ipamorelin, sermorelin, tesamorelin and the GLP-1s sit at wildly different evidence levels. A tiered map of what each actually has behind it.

· Long read

GLP-1 Cost by State in 2026: Medicaid Coverage, Mandates and What You Actually Pay

Medicaid coverage of GLP-1s for obesity varies by state, and a state with no coverage changes the cheapest route entirely. Coverage type, cash routes and what to ask, state by state.

· Long read

Rybelsus, Ozempic and Wegovy: One Molecule, Three Products, Three Different Answers

All three contain semaglutide. They differ in approved indication, maximum dose, route and price — and those differences decide coverage more than the molecule does.

· Long read

How to Verify a GLP-1 Provider in Five Minutes, Using Only Primary Sources

Five free public databases settle whether a telehealth provider and its pharmacy are what they say. The checks, in order, and what each one can and cannot tell you.

· Long read

What Happens When You Stop a GLP-1: The Withdrawal Data, Trial by Trial

STEP-1 reported about two-thirds of lost weight returned within a year of stopping. SURMOUNT-4 reported regain on withdrawal against continued loss on treatment. The numbers, and what they mean.

· Long read

NovoCare Pharmacy Pricing in 2026: Every Dose, Every Condition, Every Expiry Date

The manufacturer's direct self-pay channel, read from its own price guide: $149 to $499 depending on product and dose, with two rates that expire on stated dates.

· Long read

The Advertised Price Is Not the Price: Membership Fees, Dose Tiers and Prepay Traps

Four pricing structures separate an advertised monthly figure from what lands on your card. How each works, and the four questions that surface all of them.

· Long read

The Legal Status of Compounded GLP-1s in 2026: What Actually Changed

The FDA declared the semaglutide shortage resolved in February 2025. That ended the mass-compounding pathway. What remains is 503A patient-specific compounding, and it requires a documented reason.

· Long read

Liraglutide Has Two FDA-Approved Generics. Here Is Why It Is Still Not the Obvious Choice

Generic liraglutide referencing Victoza arrived in December 2024 and Saxenda in August 2025. It is the cheapest approved GLP-1 — and it produced 6.4% against semaglutide's 15.8% head to head.

· Long read

GLP-1s and Muscle Mass: What the Body-Composition Sub-Studies Actually Found

A share of weight lost on any effective intervention is lean mass. What the imaging sub-studies reported, what they could not measure, and why no protocol is evidence-based yet.

· Long read

GLP-1 Side Effects Week by Week: When Nausea Peaks and When It Resolves

Gastrointestinal effects cluster at dose increases rather than spreading evenly. What the trials reported, when discontinuation happens, and what the label says about the titration schedule.

· Long read

Tesamorelin (Egrifta): The One Growth-Hormone Peptide With an Approved Indication

Approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy, not for general fat loss or anti-ageing. What the trials established, the labelled risks, and why it is not comparable to a GLP-1.

· Long read

GLP-1s and Surgery: The Fasting Guidance That Changed, and Why It Matters

Delayed gastric emptying means a standard pre-operative fast may not empty the stomach. What anaesthesia guidance says, and why it applies to compounded products too.

· Long read

Who Should Not Take a GLP-1: Contraindications, Cautions and the Boxed Warning

A boxed warning, absolute contraindications and several situations requiring caution. What the labelling states and what an online intake should be asking you.