Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s hand-picked advisory committee has voted to approve the manufacture of peptides, including those he personally uses, despite a lack of safety data. The Biden administration had previously blocked the manufacture of such unapproved peptides by compounding pharmacies.

Earlier this year, Kennedy announced his intention to reverse this ban. In June, he appointed new members to the advisory group, most of whom had apparent interests in the sale of these peptides. Yesterday, these new appointees provided the decisive votes to overturn the ban, with the original members voting against it.

Despite Kennedy's assertion that "independent experts will rigorously evaluate each substance on its scientific merits," no scientific evidence was presented at the meeting. An FDA official confirmed that the agency has not previously approved anything untested in humans. The committee's recommendation is advisory, and the FDA can reject it, though Kennedy could then replace the FDA experts.

This decision bypasses standard regulatory processes for drugs, which typically require rigorous safety and efficacy data. The move raises concerns about the potential for unproven substances to be made available without adequate oversight.