FDA submits interim peptide access policy to White House for review

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services submitted an interim access policy to the White House on October 14, 2026, aimed at allowing specialty compounding pharmacies to produce popular peptides such as BPC-157. Backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to curb gray-market foreign imports, the move exercises enforcement discretion despite warnings from FDA staff scientists regarding unproven safety and potential risks.

Proposed interim peptide compounding policy

• ▪Under the proposed enforcement discretion policy, the Food and Drug Administration would choose not to take enforcement actions against specialty compounding pharmacies that produce specified peptides.
• ▪The submitted policy aims to grant compounding pharmacies temporary authorization to produce and sell previously restricted peptides while permanent federal regulations undergo formal rulemaking.
• ▪The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration submitted an interim access policy for peptide compounding to the White House Office of Management and Budget on October 14, 2026.

RFK Jr.'s stance on peptide availability

• ▪Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. directed the Food and Drug Administration in 2026 to reconsider restrictions on unapproved peptides widely promoted by wellness influencers.
• ▪Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that domestic compounding pharmacies must be permitted to sell peptides to counteract American consumers purchasing unvetted products from foreign sources.
• ▪Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that unregulated gray market peptides manufactured in China and other foreign countries remain widely available for online purchase on platforms like TikTok.

Commercial interest and industry reaction

• ▪Wellness clinic operator Brigham Buhler, who sells peptides online, publicly praised the federal government's proposed peptide policy shift as a matter of medical freedom.
• ▪Telehealth providers including Hims & Hers and Noom announced intentions to offer peptides if federal rules ease, addressing a market estimated by analysts at $2 billion to $3 billion.

FDA restrictions and safety evaluations

• ▪Food and Drug Administration staff scientists opposed easing peptide restrictions, concluding that existing data lacks sufficient evidence to establish safety or efficacy for compounds like BPC-157.
• ▪The Food and Drug Administration previously placed BPC-157 and more than a dozen injectable peptides on a restricted list due to potential health risks, including contamination, allergic reactions, and tumor growth.
• ▪An external Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended in July 2026 that the agency drop compounding restrictions on six out of seven evaluated peptides, including BPC-157.