Makers of dietary supplements push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredients
PBS • • business
Key Points:
- The FDA is considering expanding the types of ingredients allowed in dietary supplements to include substances not traditionally derived from food, such as peptides and certain probiotics, following a public meeting prompted by industry requests.
- Peptides, promoted for muscle building and anti-aging despite limited scientific support, are currently restricted under FDA rules, but supplement makers argue the law does not explicitly limit ingredients to those found in food.
- Consumer advocates warn that broadening allowable ingredients could increase risks and complicate FDA oversight of an already vast and loosely regulated supplement market.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current top health official, supports loosening restrictions on supplements and peptides, aligning with industry interests and personal endorsements from his allies.
- Dietary supplements have long operated under a regulatory framework that does not require FDA pre-approval for safety or efficacy, allowing manufacturers to make general health claims without stringent scientific validation.
