FDA panel considers easing peptide restrictions

Health FDA panel considers easing peptide restrictions July 23, 20265:00 AM ET By  Will Stone A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will vote on recommendations for seven popular peptides. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images For the latest stories on the science of healthy living, subscribe to NPR's Health newsletter.  A slate of experimental peptide therapies are under scrutiny today in what marks the beginning of a two-day meeting to help determine whether the compounds will become available from specialized pharmacies. Health RFK Jr. defends his health agenda and Trump's proposed budget cuts in hearing The panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration is considering the evidence for seven compounds including some of the most sought-after: TB-500, BPC-157 and MOTs-C. None of them has undergone the kind of large-scale trials to establish safety and effectiveness that are required for FDA drug approvals. And yet the therapies have attracted enormous attention in the wellness space. They're promoted for injury recovery, muscle growth and fat loss, skin health, enhancing metabolism and more. Proponents argue that the current Biden-era restrictions on compounding of the substances — due to safety concerns and a lack of data — have fueled a risky gray market of overseas suppliers. Sponsor Message Short Wave Does the science of peptides live up to the hype? The meeting represents yet another tension point between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again agenda and the traditional medical and scientific establishment. Kennedy has publicly advocated for lifting restrictions on peptides and talked up their benefits. Meanwhile, FDA scientists are recommending against giving compounding pharmacies the go-ahead to produce any of the seven peptides under consideration. In a review of the evidence, they repeatedly note the data comes primarily from preclinical work involving...