{"id":26244,"date":"2026-08-03T16:18:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T11:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26244"},"modified":"2026-08-03T16:18:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T11:18:25","slug":"what-would-it-take-to-get-peptides-on-the-shelf-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=26244","title":{"rendered":"What would it take to get peptides on the shelf? : NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"storytext\">\n<div id=\"resg-s1-136675\" class=\"bucketwrap image large\">\n<div class=\"imagewrap has-source-dimensions\" data-crop-type=\"\" style=\"&#10;        --source-width: 4862;&#10;        --source-height: 3158;&#10;    \">\n        <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/400\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 400w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 800w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/900\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 900w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/1200\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 1200w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/1600\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 1600w,&#10;https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/1800\/quality\/85\/format\/webp\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg 1800w\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1025px) 650px, calc(100vw - 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30px)\" class=\"img\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/1100\/quality\/50\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x3158+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg\" class=\"img\" alt=\"The popular \u2013 and experimental \u2013 drugs called peptides received unprecedented attention last month during a marathon hearing held by a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration.\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credit-caption\">\n<div class=\"caption-wrap\">\n<div class=\"caption\" aria-label=\"Image caption\">\n<p>\n                The popular and experimental drugs called peptides received unprecedented attention last month during a marathon hearing held by a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration.<br \/>\n                <b class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                    Catherine Falls Commercial\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>                <\/b><br \/>\n                <b class=\"hide-caption\"><b>hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <b class=\"toggle-caption\"><br \/>\n              <svg class=\"icon icon--info\"><use href=\"#icon-info\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n              <b>toggle caption<\/b><br \/>\n            <\/b>\n    <\/div>\n<p>    <span class=\"credit\" aria-label=\"Image credit\"><\/p>\n<p>        Catherine Falls Commercial\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>    <\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The peptide saga has reached what could be its most confusing chapter \u2014 at least for consumers.<\/p>\n<p>The popular \u2014 and experimental \u2014 drugs received unprecedented attention in late July <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/23\/nx-s1-5903202\/fda-peptides-restrictions\" target=\"_blank\">during a marathon hearing<\/a> held by a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n<p>The panel considered whether to back the production of seven different peptide therapies \u2014 and voted in favor of all but one \u2014 despite concerns raised by the agency&#8217;s own scientists.<\/p>\n<p>These peptides include some of the most sought-after injectables, BPC-157, TB-500 and MOTS-c.<\/p>\n<p>But that recommendation alone doesn&#8217;t change the status of these substances. It&#8217;s still illegal for pharmacies in the U.S. to make these compounds.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-backstage-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap backstage\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>The FDA staff and leadership now need to review the data and decide whether compounding pharmacies in the U.S. should be allowed to make any of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/advisory-committees\/advisory-committee-calendar\/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-compounding-advisory-committee-07232026\" target=\"_blank\">seven peptides<\/a> the panel considered.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s a regulatory nuance that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivimhealth.com\/providers\/jessica-duncan-md-dabom-daba\/?srsltid=AfmBOoqDY7vqdeEI-a4jJ6Qk87iS-jR1q7KgOom7N_SmeZ3ZjgBquve9\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Jessica Duncan<\/a>, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ivimhealth.com\/dr-jessica-duncan-testifies-before-the-fda-on-behalf-of-patients-seeking-safe-access-to-peptide-therapies\/\" target=\"_blank\">spoke in favor<\/a> of peptides at the FDA meeting, now finds herself explaining to patients who&#8217;ve seen the headlines and want to know when these therapies will be available.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They are now even more curious,&#8221; says Duncan, chief medical officer for the telehealth company IVIM Health. &#8220;We tell them that the timeline is uncertain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>What are the chances these peptides get the green light?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>There&#8217;s no guarantee, but it seems likely the FDA will move forward. The agency usually follows its advisory committees&#8217; recommendations.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5913381-100\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5903202\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/23\/nx-s1-5903202\/fda-peptides-restrictions\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/23\\\/nx-s1-5903202\\\/fda-peptides-restrictions&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/3827x3827+741+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F74%2Fd9c41cb54fe98e32967e5a8b82be%2Fgettyimages-1227710766.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will vote on recommendations about seven popular peptides.\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5913381-100\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>Plus, there&#8217;s high demand for these products \u2014 and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose agency oversees the FDA, has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wk7DQom821s\" target=\"_blank\">called to make them available<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Normally, the agency would move forward through its formal rulemaking process, which could take anywhere from several months to possibly over a year, says <a href=\"https:\/\/informaconnect.com\/formulary-access\/speakers\/jesse-dresser-esq\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jesse Dresser,<\/a> a partner at the law firm Frier Levitt who represents compounding pharmacies and others in the industry.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It would actually surprise me if this followed the traditional pathway of formal rulemaking,&#8221; Dresser told NPR. &#8220;Whatever options exist to make this a faster process, I think they are going to be leveraged.&#8221;<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-secondary-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap secondary\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<aside id=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" class=\"mid-story-recommendations-mount-piano\" aria-label=\"recommended stories\"\/>\n<!-- END ID=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" CLASS=\"MID-STORY-RECOMMENDATIONS-MOUNT-PIANO\" ARIA-LABEL=\"RECOMMENDED STORIES\" --><\/p>\n<p>One likely scenario: The agency could green-light these peptides in the interim by placing them on what&#8217;s known as the &#8220;Category One list.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That would give compounding pharmacies cover to begin making these products sooner, while the longer rulemaking process plays out.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I do think that there is significant pressure here, but the FDA needs to follow the data,&#8221; says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usp.org\/about\/board-of-trustees\/ilisa-bernstein\" target=\"_blank\">Ilisa Bernstein<\/a>, a former FDA official and pharmacist who&#8217;s an expert on drug and pharmacy policy.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"edTag\">\n<div>\n<p><strong><em>Want the latest stories on the science of healthy living? Subscribe to NPR&#8217;s\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/newsletter\/health\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Health newsletter<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong><em>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Another route \u2014 one that would almost certainly result in a legal challenge \u2014 is that Kennedy could cite the dangers posed by the unregulated peptide market as a rationale to immediately place these on a list that OKs their compounding, says Dresser.<\/p>\n<p>That authority is normally used to remove unsafe products from the market, not fast-track them. But &#8220;this is a unique scenario, unique product, unique industry and unique administration,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p>The agency could also buck the recommendations of the panel and decide not to change the status of these peptides. That would likely result in lawsuits from the industry, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afslaw.com\/attorneys\/abha-kundi\" target=\"_blank\">Abha Kundi<\/a>, an attorney at Aaron Fox Schiff who focuses on FDA regulatory law.<\/p>\n<p>Though she adds that the agency is clearly &#8220;very attuned&#8221; to dealing with the real world landscape and the current availability of these products.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In many ways, the toothpaste is out of the tube here. I think that is absolutely part of the calculus.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>Why have peptides become so controversial?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Demand for them has leapfrogged well ahead of the evidence.<\/p>\n<p>They are promoted widely in the wellness and longevity space and often taken together by injection as &#8220;stacks,&#8221; for injury recovery, muscle growth and fat loss, improving athletic performance, enhancing metabolism and more.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike many of the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs \u2014 which are also synthetic peptides \u2014 none of the seven peptides under consideration has undergone the kind of large-scale, rigorous trials in humans that are necessary for drug approval.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-third-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap third\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>But the gray market exploded several years ago, after the FDA placed many of them on a list that prohibited compounding pharmacies from making them due to safety concerns.<\/p>\n<p>That dynamic has led to a dangerous situation. People are now obtaining these peptides from unvetted sources under the guise that they&#8217;re only being used for &#8220;research purposes&#8221; \u2014 not for human consumption.<\/p>\n<div id=\"resnx-s1-5913381-101\" class=\"bucketwrap internallink insettwocolumn inset2col \">\n<div class=\"bucket img\">\n                  <a class=\"imagewrap\" id=\"featuredStackSquareImagenx-s1-5897484\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2026\/07\/22\/nx-s1-5897484\/peptides-wellness-aging-rfk-fda\" data-metrics-ga4=\"{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;recirculation&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;story_recirculation_click&quot;,&quot;clickType&quot;:&quot;inset box&quot;,&quot;clickUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/www.npr.org\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/22\\\/nx-s1-5897484\\\/peptides-wellness-aging-rfk-fda&quot;}\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-format=\"webp\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-original=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/100\/quality\/100\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-template=\"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4096x4096+0+0\/resize\/{width}\/quality\/{quality}\/format\/{format}\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F8d%2F5d%2F41d577644971b9ced3e22a46f9e9%2F31ce3646-f32d-41f8-9da8-085231eda643.jpg\" data-format=\"jpeg\" class=\"img lazyOnLoad\" alt=\"A hand holds a syringe. \" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/a>         <\/p>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKETBLOCK\" -->\n      <\/div>\n<p><!-- END CLASS=\"BUCKET IMG\" -->\n   <\/div>\n<p><!-- END ID=\"RESNX-S1-5913381-101\" CLASS=\"BUCKETWRAP INTERNALLINK INSETTWOCOLUMN INSET2COL \" --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The gray market space is a lot seedier than what people think,&#8221; says Dr. <a href=\"https:\/\/gamedaymenshealth.com\/medical-team\/dr-haleem-mohammed\" target=\"_blank\">Haleem Mohammed<\/a>, chief medical officer for Gameday Men&#8217;s Health, which operates health clinics that offer hormone optimization and peptides. &#8220;That&#8217;s nowhere I want my patients getting their medications from.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Mohammed was one of the FDA panelists who voted in favor of these peptides. Like others in the industry, he argues that the agency&#8217;s presentation during the meeting did not showcase the full breadth of evidence.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is not a rubber stamp,&#8221; he told NPR. &#8220;This is about moving towards a regulated pathway for peptides that patients are already using.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The FDA&#8217;s scientists raised numerous concerns about the lack of published human data for all seven of the peptides and recommended against allowing for their production.<\/p>\n<p>Even defining each substance proved difficult because the common name for a peptide can cover many compounds with quite different chemical compositions in the scientific literature, they said.<\/p>\n<p>Legitimizing these peptides for compounding doesn&#8217;t require nearly the same degree of evidence as FDA drug approval, but the agency still has a &#8220;responsibility to ensure that there&#8217;s some level of safety before they become widely available,&#8221; explains Bernstein.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Once the door is open, any pharmacy can compound these products,&#8221; she says. &#8220;So it could have a huge presence in the marketplace.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"edTag\"><strong>If the FDA backs peptides, how will people get them?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>These drugs will require a prescription, but you probably won&#8217;t be able to pick them up from your local CVS or Walgreens anytime soon.<\/p>\n<aside id=\"ad-overflow-1-wrap\" class=\"ad-wrap overflow-1\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Instead, they&#8217;ll be available from compounding pharmacies, which prepare the drugs to order rather than manufacturing them the way a pharmaceutical factory would.<\/p>\n<p>And it&#8217;s unlikely patients will be able to get any of these drugs immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Pharmacies will need time to acquire the active ingredients so they can begin making them, says <a href=\"https:\/\/informaconnect.com\/compounding-pharmacy-compliance\/speakers\/scott-brunner-cae\/\" target=\"_blank\">Scott Brunner<\/a>, who leads the industry trade group, the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s going to create some chaos,&#8221; he says. &#8220;It might take two months, it might take nine months, it depends on the substance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It won&#8217;t be difficult to find someone willing to prescribe them.<\/p>\n<p>Major direct-to-consumer telehealth companies, med spas and high-end longevity medical practices alike are already marketing peptides and their potential.<\/p>\n<p>But it&#8217;s likely that many doctors practicing in traditional medical settings will be more wary of prescribing them.<\/p>\n<p>Various professional organizations offer training and certifications on peptide medicine; however, there are no widely accepted, evidence-based guidelines from major medical associations on how to use them.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think the commercial enthusiasm is outpacing clinical science here,&#8221; says <a href=\"https:\/\/doctors.bannerhealth.com\/provider\/harmeet-narula\/448240\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Harmeet Narula<\/a>, an endocrinologist at Banner Health in Arizona who regularly gets questions from his patients about peptides.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s important for folks to know that what happened does not mean these drugs are FDA approved.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The popular and experimental drugs called peptides received unprecedented attention last month during a marathon hearing held by a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration. Catherine Falls Commercial\/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Catherine Falls Commercial\/Getty Images The peptide saga has reached what could be its most confusing chapter \u2014 at least for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims3\/default\/strip\/false\/crop\/4862x2735+0+0\/resize\/1400\/quality\/85\/format\/jpeg\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F86%2F62%2F248c541e4b0d8c4604702187097a%2Fgettyimages-1213748565.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26244"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26244\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}