Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushes FDA to ease access to unproven peptide drugs

Under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration is moving to ease access to various injectable peptide drugs. This move comes despite warnings from FDA staff scientists who previously determined that these drugs lack sufficient data to establish safety and efficacy and may pose potential harms.

In 2023, FDA scientists removed these peptides from a list of drugs that could be produced by specialty pharmacies due to these safety concerns. Despite this, the drugs have gained popularity among supporters of the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) movement, with some sellers making unsubstantiated claims regarding energy boosts, injury healing, and aesthetic improvements. Kennedy, a supporter of peptides, has expressed intent to end what he describes as the ‘FDA’s war’ on the substances.