Voluntary pricing agreements with drugmakers are more effective than mandatory controls

Debate continues over whether voluntary pricing agreements with drugmakers are more eff....

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Calley Means and his statement on October 22, 2026 highlighted Make America Healthy Again policy achievements, including expanding access to psychedelics, overhauling dietary guidelines, and limiting SNAP benefits for sugary drinks

President Donald Trump nominated wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means for surgeon general, but her nomination was withdrawn after Senate confirmation stalled over concerns regarding her medical experience and vaccine stances

In an October 22, 2026 statement announcing his resignation, Calley Means, a senior adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., expressed tremendous respect for President Donald Trump and Kennedy without stating a reason

While serving at the Department of Health and Human Services, Calley Means attacked leading physician groups, federal agencies, and government scientists, claiming they protect their own interests

Insurers should be barred from setting premiums using genetic tests

The United States Medicaid program faces nearly $1 trillion in federal funding cuts over the coming decade

UnitedHealth Group CFO Wayne DeVeydt stated that the Independent Dispute Resolution process under the No Surprises Act, which took effect in 2022, adds at least 100 basis points to total medical costs

The sole FDA-approved therapeutic option for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is limited to slowing the progression of the condition

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease currently has only one treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Prior to taking office, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that the Food and Drug Administration's opposition to peptides and wellness products would end

HHS's proposed interim access policy uses enforcement discretion to assure specialty compounding pharmacies that they will not face regulatory action for producing certain popular peptides, including BPC-157

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that US compounding pharmacies should be permitted to make peptides to prevent consumers from purchasing gray-market products manufactured in China

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. directed the Food and Drug Administration earlier in 2026 to reconsider restrictions on peptides such as BPC-157 that are widely promoted by wellness influencers

Unapproved peptides such as BPC-157, targeted for muscle building, anti-aging, and injury recovery, remain widely available online through social media platforms like TikTok

In July 2026, an external advisory panel selected by the Department of Health and Human Services recommended that the FDA remove compounding restrictions on six out of seven reviewed peptides, including BPC-157

The Department of Health and Human Services submitted an interim access policy for peptide compounding to the White House Office of Management and Budget on October 15, 2026

Formally adding peptides to the FDA list of drugs safe for compounding requires federal rulemaking, a process involving public comments that can take years

Food and Drug Administration staff scientists concluded that available data, mostly from animal studies, is insufficient to establish the safety and effectiveness of unapproved peptides such as BPC-157

The external FDA advisory panel assembled by HHS in July 2026 included doctors, pharmacists, and consultants working in the peptide industry

The Food and Drug Administration previously categorized BPC-157 and more than a dozen other injectable peptides as too risky to compound due to concerns over contamination, allergic reactions, and tumor growth