The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it will hold meetings this summer and next February to consider easing restrictions on 12 unproven peptides that were banned in 2023. The move comes amid pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has publicly supported these peptides for their purported benefits in muscle building, injury healing, and anti-aging.
Key Takeaways
The FDA will hold meetings this summer and next February to consider easing restrictions on 12 unproven peptides banned in 2023. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has supported these peptides for their purported benefits, while critics warn of safety risks.
- FDA to convene expert panel to review peptide restrictions
- Meetings scheduled for July 2024 and February 2027
- Peptides banned in 2023 due to safety concerns
- Hims & Hers Health shares rise on potential peptide market expansion
- Critics warn of increased risks without proper clinical testing
According to Ars Technica, the FDA's meetings are scheduled for two days in July 2024 and another session in February 2027. The agency will convene a panel of outside experts to review whether licensed compounding pharmacies should be allowed to manufacture these peptides again, as reported by Reuters.
The announcement has sparked a rise in shares of Hims & Hers Health (HIMS.N), which climbed more than 7% on Thursday. The company briefly offered cheaper versions of Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 injectable drugs but had to stop due to legal issues and FDA warnings, per Reuters. Hims acquired a California-based peptide facility in February 2025, signaling a strategic move into the peptide business.
The FDA's decision has drawn mixed reactions. Dr. Peter Lurie, former FDA official and current head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, warned that 'The Wild West is about to become wilder,' as quoted by PBS. Meanwhile, Hims Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Carroll applauded the news, calling it a step away from the 'gray market' toward mainstream healthcare.
The FDA's 2023 ban on these peptides was due to concerns over immunogenicity, toxicity, and impurity. Many of the FDA advisors and internal staff who oversaw those decisions no longer work for the agency, which could impact the upcoming meetings as Kennedy may fill vacancies before July
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