Americans are using peptide compounds (short chains of amino acids promoted for recovery, sleep, performance, metabolic health, and longevity) in large and growing numbers. Many obtain them from unregulated online sellers and informal markets, often without medical supervision, reliable quality controls, or accurate dosing information. Whether we like it or not, this is a mainstream reality, and it creates the very risks regulators seek to avoid.
With Kyle Diamantas now at the helm of the Food and Drug Administration as acting commissioner, the agency has a timely opportunity. Rather than choosing between unrestricted gray-market access or a blanket crackdown that simply drives use underground, the agency can chart a third way on peptides.
