On Wednesday, October 28, the Department of Health and Human Services issued an interim policy directing the FDA not to take enforcement action against licensed compounding pharmacies that make six peptides. The six are BPC-157, TB-500, Epitalon, KPV, MOTS-c, and Semax. This is enforcement discretion, not approval. None of the six is FDA approved for any use, and the policy does not approve them. What it means is that state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacies, federal facilities, and licensed physicians can compound these peptides without facing federal enforcement, provided they follow the policy's conditions: ingredients from FDA-registered manufacturers, verification of the peptide's chemical identity, and reporting of compounded products, serious adverse events, and quality issues to the FDA and the states. A prescription is still required, since compounding is done for an individual patient. Some background on how we got here. In 2023, the FDA restricted compounding of these peptides over safety concerns. In July 2026, the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted to recommend adding six of seven reviewed peptides to the 503A Bulks List, while FDA scientists recommended against it. HHS then chose enforcement discretion rather than a formal rule adding them to the list. The decision came from HHS, and reporting indicates FDA scientific staff had limited input and largely opposed it. HHS says the move advances patient choice and freedom and offers a controlled alternative to gray market peptides sold online. Critics, including the American Medical Association, say the peptides have not undergone the testing required of FDA-approved drugs. What this does not change: - It does not legalize research-use-only peptides sold online. The policy covers licensed compounders, not online RUO retailers. The FDA sent warning letters to online RUO vendors as recently as August. - It is not permanent. No timeframe was given for how long the discretion lasts, HHS says it may revisit the policy if safety or quality problems emerge, and final rulemaking is still pending. Public comments are open for two weeks.