An FDA advisory panel narrowly recommended allowing compounding pharmacies to make four unapproved peptides, despite FDA scientists advising against their use because safety and effectiveness evidence is limited. The recommendation could bring some widely marketed “wellness” and injury-recovery treatments closer to regulated prescription access, but it does not amount to FDA approval and has prompted concern that patients may misunderstand the level of evidence behind them.

The committee voted 8–6, with one abstention, to add BPC-157, KPV and TB-500 to the FDA’s bulks list; MOTs-C received a 7–5 vote, with two abstentions. BPC-157 and TB-500 are promoted online as a “Wolverine stack” for recovery, while peptide advocates argued regulated compounding could reduce reliance on potentially contaminated grey-market products; critics said it could instead lend unproven treatments unwarranted legitimacy. The panel, some of whose members have links to peptide businesses or telehealth clinics, was due to consider three further peptides.