RFK Jr. Announces 14 Peptides Coming Off FDA Restricted List

In an announcement on February 27, 2026, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that approximately 14 of the 19 peptides currently on the FDA’s Category 2 “do not compound” list would be removed from that list. Removing a peptide from Category 2 is not the same as adding it to Category 1 — and Category 1 is not permission to compound either. The FDA titles it “Bulk Drug Substances Under Evaluation”: a stage in reviewing a nomination. A peptide becomes eligible for compounding only once the FDA places it on the 503A Bulks List by final rule, and to date none of these compounds has been placed there.

The announcement, made on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, would mark a significant shift in peptide compounding policy — but it was a statement of intent, not a completed regulatory action, and as of this writing no peptide has changed compounding status.

Background: The 2023 FDA Peptide Ban

In late 2023, the FDA placed numerous research peptides on a restricted compounding list, citing safety concerns and lack of clinical trial data. The move affected some of the most widely researched compounds in the longevity, recovery, and metabolic health space — including BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, and others.

What RFK Jr. Announced

Kennedy indicated that approximately 14 of the 19 restricted peptides would be removed from Category 2. He framed this as restoring their eligibility for licensed compounding — but that eligibility depends on the FDA placing each compound on the 503A Bulks List by final rule, a separate and later step than Category 1, and to date none of the 19 has reached it. Compounds named in the announcement include:

• BPC-157
• TB-500
• CJC-1295
• Ipamorelin
• Thymosin Alpha-1
• Sermorelin
• Tesamorelin
• Epitalon
• Selank
• Semax

Important Caveats

As of publication, no formal FDA rule change has been published in the Federal Register. Kennedy’s announcement was made through a media appearance, not an official regulatory filing. Researchers should continue to monitor FDA official communications for formal guidance.