Trump admin eases access to unproven peptides favored by RFK Jr. despite FDA opposition
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday acted to ease access to unproven peptide drugs favored by Health Secretary Robert F.Kennedy Jr.
Food and Drug Administration scientific staffers had little input on the decision and opposed the changes, according to six people familiar with its development.The draft policy posted online by Kennedy’s Department of Health and Human Services covers a handful of injectable peptides promoted within the wellness industry for uses such as building muscle, healing injuries and boosting energy.The government will take comments for two weeks before finalizing the measure.The document, primarily written by officials at HHS, faced overwhelming pushback among FDA drug staffers who warned it could undermine the agency’s long-standing mission of keeping unsafe health products off the US market, according to the people familiar with its development.The people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential government deliberations.The policy directs the FDA not to take action against specialty pharmacies that sell a half-dozen wellness peptides, including BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV.
Under normal FDA rules, those chemicals would be considered illegal drugs because they have not gone through the agency’s rigorous review process for safety and effectiveness.According to the document posted online, Kennedy determined the change “advances patient choice and freedom” while protecting people in the United States from peptides sold online that are often made from ingredients of unknown origin and quality.Kennedy has called himself a “big fan” of peptides and previously described using BPC-157 to treat a muscle injury.Lee Rosebush of the American Academy of Peptide Medicine said in an online post that HHS had taken “a huge step for patient and provider medical freedom.” The group, which is not a medical professional society, represents people who prescribe or sell peptides.The peptide b...