FDA reviews peptide injections favored by RFK Jr. and wellness
influencers
[July 23, 2026]
By MATTHEW PERRONE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Health advisers begin meeting Thursday to review more
than a half-dozen peptides, unproven substances that have become a
growing wellness trend despite little evidence they are safe or
effective.
The two-day meeting hosted by the Food and Drug Administration has the
backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has described
himself as a “big fan” of peptides and vowed to overturn industry
restrictions put in place under President Joe Biden.
Peptide supporters include podcaster Joe Rogan and wellness influencers
such as Gary Brecka, a supporter of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy
Again” agenda who sells peptide vials online. Social media platforms are
brimming with testimonials from people claiming the substances helped
them build muscle, recover from injuries or look younger.
Despite such support, the FDA’s two-day meeting is expected to showcase
a stark split over the compounds.
FDA’s career scientists have made clear they don’t think there’s enough
data to support making peptides more widely available, specifically from
compounding pharmacies, which mix customized medicines that aren’t
available from traditional drugmakers.
That’s also the stance of many medical and scientific experts who have
weighed in ahead of the meeting.
“This is really alarming,” said Rita Jew, a pharmacist and president of
the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. "There aren’t that many
other substances people are injecting into themselves where you see that
the clinical evidence is so lacking.”
But the panel of outside advisers convened for the meeting includes at
least seven doctors or pharmacists with financial ties to the peptide
industry. The group includes owners of wellness clinics that sell
peptides, pharmacies that produce the formulas and online consulting
businesses that promote them. Other expert panels appointed under
Kennedy have faced criticism for apparent conflicts of interest.
Earlier this week, the FDA added several additional experts to the
20-member panel, including academics who don't have connections to the
industry.
FDA scientists remain unconvinced of peptide safety and health
benefits
The experts will take votes on whether the FDA should allow seven
popular peptides to be added to a list of substances that are safe for
compounding by pharmacies. The votes aren't binding and the FDA has
periodically bucked the recommendations of its outside experts.
Peptides are the building blocks of more complex proteins, triggering
hormones inside the body needed for growth, metabolism and healing. Drug
companies have brought several to market as medications, including
mainstay treatments for diabetes and weight loss.
Peptide supporters have asked the FDA to consider the seven peptides
under review this week for various medical conditions, including
ulcerative colitis, migraines and opioid addiction.
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 In recent years, the FDA had warned
Americans about the risks of injecting peptides like BPC-157 and
TB-500, both of which are set for review on Thursday. The chemicals
are promoted online as a way to recover from injuries and reduce
inflammation. Both are considered doping substances by international
sports authorities.
In a scientific review posted ahead of the meeting,
FDA scientists reiterated their longstanding concerns. Again and
again, regulators said they could find little data on safety or
effectiveness and raised concerns about risks of contamination,
allergic reactions and quality control. Most of the data they did
find came from studies in animals, including rats, and not humans.
For all seven peptides reviewed, the staffers recommended against
making them available for compounding.
Peptide supporters will push FDA to ease access
The FDA assessment is only one part of more than 18 hours of
discussions and presentations scheduled across two days. The meeting
also includes opportunities for members of the public to address the
FDA and its experts.
Ahead of the meeting, the FDA received more than 1,900 public
comments, including from doctors and patients attesting to the
benefits of peptides.
“For many people, this is about a therapy that is helping them, and
whether they can get it safely and legally from a regulated pharmacy
instead of taking their chances in the gray market,” states the
American Academy of Peptide Medicine, a group that includes doctors
and wellness clinic operators who promote peptides. The group's
website states that it is “an educational academy, not a licensing
or accrediting body.”
After the meeting, the FDA will review the votes, discussion and
public comments before making a decision on whether to ease access
to the peptides.
FDA-watchers say the most likely outcome may be a temporary policy
reassuring pharmacies that they won’t be targeted for compounding
the peptides under review. Formally placing the substances on FDA's
list of drugs that are safe for compounding would require new
regulations, which can take months or years to draft.
“We’re still going through this process, but I think it’s more than
likely that the process will end up at the result that Secretary
Kennedy wants,” said Nathan Beaver, an attorney specializing in FDA
issues.
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