KQED podcast examines melanotan II gray market and looksmaxxing risks
Dermatologists and a STAT News reporter discuss unapproved peptide sales online and the MAHA politics that helped normalize them.
DO
By Daniel Okafor · Regulatory Correspondent
Oct 7 06:00 ETSource: KQED
The wire
- 01KQED's Close All Tabs features skin cancer surgeon Sungat Grewal, dermatologist Caren Campbell and STAT News reporter Sarah Todd on influencer-driven peptide use, focused on melanotan II, the so-called Barbie peptide.
- 02The segment underscores that these substances are not FDA approved and are commonly sold through unregulated gray market channels, a channel clinicians increasingly encounter in patients.
- 03It is a consumer podcast rather than new data or enforcement action; the discussion links the trend to American medical libertarianism and the MAHA movement without reporting specific regulatory steps.
From the source
Read at kqed.orgInfluencers Are Peddling Peptides, but Is Tanmaxxing Worth the Risk?
Seems like everywhere you turn these days, influencers are gushing about their peptide use and how it’s done wonders for their appearance and health. One of the more popular ones, Melanotan II, also known as the “Barbie” peptide, is said to give you a tan without the harmful effects of sun exposure. But many of these substances aren’t approved by the FDA and are often sold through unregulated gray
