RFK Jr.'s hand-picked committee approves manufacture of peptides he uses
A committee stacked with allies of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has voted to allow the production of peptides, despite a lack of safety data and opposition from pre-existing members. The FDA could reject the recommendation, but doing so would put it at odds with Kennedy.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who fears the well-understood proteins in vaccines, is willing to inject various peptides with no safety data. Unlike most peptide enthusiasts who share anecdotes online, Kennedy has the power to turn his hobby into policy. The FDA has approved peptide drugs like insulin and some weight loss drugs, but the lack of safety and efficacy data has kept most peptides off the market. The Biden administration also blocked their manufacture by compounding pharmacies.
Earlier this year, Kennedy announced interest in reversing that ban. As Ars Technica reported before the first meeting in July, observers suspected Kennedy would stack the advisory board with questionably qualified allies. In June, Kennedy added members who, with one exception, had obvious interests in the manufacture of unapproved peptides. Yesterday, those newly appointed members provided the decisive votes to overturn the ban, with all pre-Kennedy members voting against. No rigorous scientific evidence was presented.
According to The New York Times, when a committee member asked an FDA official whether the agency had ever approved something never tested in humans, the official said no. The committee's role is advisory, and the FDA could reject the recommendations. However, doing so would place the FDA's experts in direct conflict with Kennedy, who has the authority to fire them.
