RFK Jr. stacks FDA panel with peptide peddlers as FDA scientists oppose access

Key Points:

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for anti-vaccine views, has appointed allies who promote peptide use to the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, aiming to overturn the FDA's 2023 stance that these peptides lack proven benefits and may pose safety risks.
• The FDA added nine new members to the advisory panel, most of whom have financial ties to clinics offering peptide treatments or publicly endorse their use, increasing the panel to 13 members and potentially influencing upcoming decisions.
• The advisory committee will meet on July 23-24 to discuss seven peptides used for various conditions such as ulcerative colitis, wound healing, obesity, opioid withdrawal, and insomnia, as well as a future meeting before February 2027 to review five additional peptides.
• The FDA currently prohibits compounding pharmacies from producing these peptides for human use, though they can be sold for research; the committee's recommendations, while not binding, often influence FDA policy decisions.
• The newly appointed members include medical directors and founders of wellness clinics promoting peptides, a state senator pharmacist with political ties, and industry representatives, while the previous members include FDA and pharmaceutical experts.