RFK Jr.’s Plan for Easier Access to Peptides Clashes With FDA Safety Concerns

The health secretary announced plans to reverse an FDA decision on several of the drugs.

BY AVA LEVINSON, NEWS WRITER

(Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said over the weekend that he plans to loosen regulations around selected peptides. While the drugs have been exploding in the media, many of them haven’t been approved in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration. 

The health secretary announced his plans on the February 27 episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, sharing that he wants to reverse a decision by the FDA that prohibited almost 20 peptides from being produced by compounding pharmacies. 

The FDA is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to remove around 14 of the peptides from the banned list.

“My hope is that they’re going to get moved to a place where people have access from ethical suppliers,” RFK Jr. told Rogan, while also admitting, according to Gizmodo, that further evidence supporting their use is needed.

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Peptides have emerged as a popular drug through influencer marketing, with claims of support for longevity, brain health, and weight loss. The ingredient is naturally occurring, with humans producing thousands of different kinds, including those that have become medical treatments like semaglutide, the primary ingredient in Ozempic. 

But many of the peptides being touted by celebrities and the Make America Healthy Again Movement haven’t yet been approved in the U.S. Some are still in the early development stages, according to Gizmodo. 

In September 2023, the FDA moved 19 peptides onto the Category 2 list, barring the pharmacies from producing the compounds legally. Other peptides were marked for potential concerns. 

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