Transcription
STRONG WARNING THERE.
AARON GILCHRIST, THANK YOU SO MUCH. MOMENTS AGO, AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE FDA VOTED TO EASE RESTRICTIONS ON A POPULAR BUT UNREGULATED PEPTIDE. THE GROUP WILL VOTE TODAY ON THE REGULATIONS SURROUNDING A FEW OTHER PEPTIDES AS WELL. THEY HAVE REALLY SURGED IN POPULARITY ACROSS THIS WELLNESS INDUSTRY, DESPITE SOME DOCTORS EXPRESSING THEIR SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF PEPTIDES. A FEW HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UNDERGONE THOROUGH CLINICAL TRIALS. YET SOME INFLUENCERS AND CELEBRITIES ARE STILL MARKETING THEM AS EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR A RANGE OF THINGS, INCLUDING WEIGHT LOSS, IMMUNITY, AND SKIN HEALTH.
NBC NEWS MEDICAL REPORTER ERIKA EDWARDS FOLLOWING THIS ONE FOR US. SO, ERICA, THE PEPTIDE THAT THE PANEL JUST VOTED ON, WHICH ONE IS IT THAT THEY'VE APPROVED? AND WILL THIS MEAN APPROVAL FOR THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE KIND OF ON THE DOCKET TODAY?
YEAH. SO JUST AS YOU SAID, WITHIN THE PAST HOUR, THE FDA COMMITTEE VOTED COMMITTEE VOTED TO RECOMMEND EASING RESTRICTIONS ON THE FIRST OF SEVEN PEPTIDES UP FOR DISCUSSION TODAY AND TOMORROW. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BPC 157, ARGUABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN OF THE SYNTHETIC PEPTIDES. HEALTH SECRETARY KENNEDY HAS EVEN PROMOTED IT ON PODCASTS. IT'S MARKETED AS A PRODUCT TO SPEED UP HEALING OF MUSCLES AND TENDONS. ALSO POSSIBLY AS A TREATMENT FOR ULCERS, CROHN'S DISEASE, OTHER STOMACH PROBLEMS. NOW REMINDER IT'S ULTIMATELY UP TO THE FDA TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISION HERE. AND THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY AT STAKE. THE PEPTIDE MARKET. IF ALL SEVEN OF THESE PEPTIDES ARE RECOMMENDED, COULD REACH $30 BILLION.
VICKY. SO NOW THIS ONE GETS APPROVAL. MAYBE SOME OTHERS WILL FOLLOW. WHAT DO CONSUMERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HEALTH RISKS THAT DOCTORS ARE WARNING ABOUT?
YOU KNOW, THESE PEPTIDES ARE SOCIAL MEDIA WELLNESS DARLINGS. THEY'RE TOUTED TO DO EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, HELP PEOPLE SLEEP BETTER, THINK MORE EFFICIENTLY, EVEN SLOW DOWN AGING. HERE'S THE CATCH. THERE'S NOT MUCH EVIDENCE YET THAT THEY WORK. AND SOME DOCTORS WORRY ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS, LIKE WHAT IT COULD DO TO YOUR LIVER, WHAT IT COULD DO TO YOUR HEART. IF THEY INTERACT WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT THEY'RE ON. THE ISSUE OVERALL HAS FACED TREMENDOUS PUSHBACK AND MEDICAL IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY. ONE FDA PANEL MEMBER SAID. TODAY VICKY. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S IN SOME OF THESE PEPTIDES. SO CERTAINLY A LOT OF DISCUSSION STILL TO COME.