Why is everyone talking about peptides?

Medicines such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) are peptides, and they became some of the most talked-about drugs in the world.

That attention spilled over to many other peptides discussed on social media and podcasts. Most of those are not approved medicines, and the evidence behind them is far thinner — often limited to animal or lab studies.

In 2026, FDA also took several public steps on whether certain peptides can be compounded by pharmacies, which created more headlines (and more confusion). Our regulatory tracker explains what those steps do and don't mean.