FHC #226: Peptides, primary care & the false choices in American medicine
About this episode
Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr discuss the complexities of experimental peptides and primary care in American medicine.
In this Diving Deep episode, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr examine two very different healthcare debates that share a common problem: when medicine lacks good evidence and aligned incentives, patients and doctors are left with bad choices. The conversation begins with experimental peptides, a fast-growing topic on social media and in wellness circles. Dr. Pearl reviews the FDA’s ongoing debate over whether six experimental peptides should be made available to licensed compounding pharmacies. Supporters argue that Americans are already buying these substances through the gray market, often from overseas suppliers, and that regulated access would be safer. Critics argue that expanded access would encourage far more people to use products whose benefits, risks, purity and long-term safety remain uncertain. For Pearl, both sides are partly right, which is why a simple yes or no is the wrong answer. Saying no would not eliminate demand. It would leave many Americans buying peptides online without reliable quality control. Saying yes without conditions would create the impression of FDA approval without the scientific evidence normally required to prove safety and efficacy. Instead…
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