RFK addresses DTE and peptides in E&C hearing

HHS Secretary Kennedy testified before the House Energy & Commerce Committee this week, and compounding came up twice (we’ve pulled the clips so you can see the exchanges yourself).

Congressman Michael Rulli (R-OH) raised the FDA's classification of desiccated thyroid extract as a biologic – a decision that, if not reversed, could affect more than 1.5 million patients who rely on natural thyroid products and for whom synthetic alternatives haven't worked. Kennedy acknowledged there is "controversy within my agency about that decision" and invited Rulli to contact him directly to convene a high-level meeting toward a resolution. We'll take both the acknowledgment and the pledge to meet as hopeful signs.

Compounding pharmacist and Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) pressed Kennedy on peptides, noting the need to re-populate the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee ahead of the July meeting – and flagging the supply chain issue: if certain peptides are approved for use in compounded drugs, pharmacies need reliable access to cGMP-compliant, pharmaceutical-grade active ingredients. Kennedy responded by noting that the administration has already moved 14 peptides off Category 2, calling their original placement there a mistake that created a black market for research-grade peptides. “We need to bring it back into a real marketplace,” he said, “where legitimate, honest formulation pharmacies with integrity and ethics are formulating them for Americans.”

We're grateful to Reps. Rulli and Harshbarge for raising these issues and for their commitment to patient access to compounded medications.