What are peptides? The RFK Jr wellness fad taken up by the FDA

PoliticsHealth & Fitness
16 Apr 2026 • 10:53 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

What are peptides? The RFK Jr wellness fad taken up by the FDA

  • The US Food and Drug Administration is set to consider easing restrictions on over half a dozen unapproved peptide injections, which are popular among wellness influencers and celebrities.
  • This review, scheduled for July, follows pledges from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has publicly supported peptides and used them himself, to loosen regulations.
  • Many of these peptides, often marketed for muscle building, injury healing, or anti-aging, lack significant research and have not been reviewed for safety by the FDA.
  • The agency restricted the substances under former President Joe Biden, citing “significant safety risks” and a lack of extensive human testing, a decision now being re-evaluated.
  • The FDA said in a federal notice Wednesday that it will ask a panel of outside pharmacy advisers to review seven peptides, specifically whether they should be moved from a restrictive category reserved for risky, customized drugs.

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