WASHINGTON (AP) — Health advisers met Thursday to review more than a half-dozen peptides, unproven substances that have become a growing wellness trend despite little evidence they are safe or effective.In the first of several votes, the panel of Food and Drug Administration experts narrowly voted 8-6 in favor of broadening access to a chemical called BPC-157, one of the most popular peptides among longevity and wellness influencers. One panel member abstained from voting.The two-day meeting has the backing of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has described himself as a “big fan” of peptides and vowed to overturn FDA restrictions put in place under President Joe Biden.The vote on BPC-157 reflected the unusual makeup of the panel. Before the meeting, more than a half-dozen people with connections to the peptide industry were added to the panel, including doctors, pharmacists or consultants who work with the chemicals.
All those experts voted in favor of allowing specialty pharmacies to produce their own formulations of BPC-157 for patients.“I voted yes because it’s time to put this decision back in the hands of the patient, the physician and the pharmacist,” said David Pope, chief pharmacy officer of Xifin Pharmacy Solutions.The vote came despite a highly critical review of the peptide from FDA’s staff scientists, who said there was little data suggesting BPC-157 is effective for medical use.The panel is scheduled to take similar votes Thursday and Friday on six other popular peptides, recommending whether they should be added to a list of substances that are safe for compounding by pharmacies. The votes aren’t binding and the FDA has periodically bucked the recommendations of its outside experts.
