How OPTML articles are researched and written
Topic selection
Article topics are driven by the questions OPTML's prospective patients and existing community actually ask — about GLP-1 side effects, hormone optimization, lab panels, peptide therapy, body composition, longevity science, and the practical day-to-day of taking these medications. We do not write articles for keyword volume alone.
Primary sources only
Every article references primary literature where applicable. Sources include:
- Peer-reviewed journals: the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), JAMA, The Lancet, Endocrine Reviews, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Cell Metabolism, and others.
- FDA prescribing information for any drug discussed (semaglutide, tirzepatide, testosterone cypionate, estradiol, progesterone, enclomiphene, sermorelin).
- Phase 3 clinical trial publications — SURMOUNT-1, STEP-1, STEP-4, SUSTAIN, TRAVERSE, SELECT, KEEPS, and others as they apply.
- Clinical practice guidelines from the Endocrine Society, the American College of Physicians, the American Heart Association, the Menopause Society, and the American Urological Association.
Inline citations refer to the actual underlying publication. If a statistic cannot be sourced to a primary publication or an FDA-approved label, it is not stated in the article.
Medical review status
OPTML articles are not currently reviewed by a physician. Ryan writes them; an editorial review for clarity, citation integrity, and factual accuracy happens before publication, but no MD signs off.
OPTML is establishing a formal MD review workflow with its physician-network partner. When that workflow is operational (anticipated mid-2026), articles will be added to a review queue. Reviewed articles will display the reviewing physician's name and credentials directly under the byline, and the underlying schema will add a reviewedBy field.
Until then, every article is clearly bylined "Written by Ryan Fischer · References cited" and every article carries an explicit disclosure that it is educational, not medical advice, and not a substitute for evaluation by a physician.
Use of AI tools
Ryan uses AI tools — primarily Anthropic's Claude — to help draft, structure, fact-check, and copy-edit articles. The factual claims, citations, editorial decisions, and final wording are Ryan's responsibility. AI assists with research synthesis and writing; it is not the author of record and is not making medical claims on behalf of OPTML.
Corrections policy
If you spot a factual error or an outdated source in any OPTML article, email info@optml.com. Corrections are logged, the affected article is updated, and the dateModified field is incremented. Where the correction is material, a brief note is added at the bottom of the article describing what changed and when.
Conflicts of interest
OPTML sells many of the medications and lab panels that its articles discuss. We disclose this directly: OPTML is a commercial telehealth provider, and its articles exist in part to help readers find OPTML's services. To mitigate this conflict, articles do not embed OPTML pricing or sales copy within their bodies. CTAs appear only at the end of articles, are clearly labeled, and route to OPTML product pages where relevant — never disguised as editorial content. This conflict-of-interest disclosure aligns with the editorial-standards commitment OPTML made to LegitScript as part of its 2026 compliance review.
