FDA panel with peptide industry ties to review controversial injections' safety

The FDA will soon review the safety and effectiveness of widely used peptide injections. The upcoming meeting follows past warnings about substances like BPC-157 and TB-500, which sports bodies classify as doping agents. This time, the advisory panel includes members with direct ties to the peptide industry. In previous reviews, FDA panels rejected several peptide ingredients over safety concerns. These injections, often marketed for muscle growth, injury recovery, and anti-aging, are produced by compounding pharmacies. Many are sold online or through wellness clinics, despite limited scientific backing for their claimed benefits.

The new panel differs from earlier groups, which mainly consisted of independent academics. Tennessee state senator and pharmacist Bobby Harshbarger sits on the panel and has family links to a pharmacy business involved in peptides. Dr. Gabriel Alizaidy, another member, charges $500 for peptide consultations and promotes them on social media, clarifying that his advice is educational rather than medical.

Dr. Haleem Mohammed, also on the panel, operates clinics selling peptides, vitamins, testosterone, and weight-loss drugs. He acknowledges that compounded peptides lack FDA approval. Critics, including allies of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have previously accused federal advisory groups of conflicts of interest, leading to changes in panels such as the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. The FDA’s decision will influence the regulation of peptides currently available through compounding pharmacies. The inclusion of industry-connected panelists has raised questions about impartiality. The outcome may affect how these substances are marketed and used in the future.