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The FDA's Peptide Crackdown: What Every Biohacker Needs to Know
Payment processors are freezing accounts overnight, the FDA issued 50+ warning letters in September alone. Here's what's really happening—and what it means for your stack.
Jeffrey Nunn
October 22, 2025
In my Biohacking Journey I have had to use many different ways to pay for my research peptides. I have used Zelle, Wire Transfers, Debit Cards, Credit Cards and even Crypto. This is not uncommon in the industry as it is a battlefield with Big Pharma and the FDA using every tool they have to shut down companies selling research peptides which could be lifesaving for those who have exhausted their options.
This edition is your education into what these companies go through to bring research peptides to market.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do not be surprised if my trusted vendors require payments in non-traditional means. This is not them trying to be difficult, its about Big Pharma profits! If BPC-157 were to be available over the counter, Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, and 1,000’s of OTC and prescription drugs would go the way of the Dodo bird over night.
Peptide Industry News
Why It’s So Difficult To Order Peptides
The research peptide market is in crisis. If you've tried ordering peptides recently, you've probably noticed something: payment options are vanishing. Here's what's really happening behind the scenes.
Payment Processors Are Pulling the Plug
The biggest issue is that that peptide vendors literally can't process your credit card anymore.
Here's the problem: Traditional payment processors like PayPal, Stripe, and Square now refuse to work with peptide merchants. They've categorized the entire industry as "high-risk" due to:
• Regulatory gray areas around FDA approval
• Higher chargeback rates from customer disputes
• Legal liability concerns
• Association with nutraceuticals and unregulated substances
When these platforms detect peptide sales, they don't ask questions—they just freeze accounts and cancel services. One day you're processing payments normally, the next day your business bank account is locked.
The expensive workaround: Vendors who survive have switched to specialized high-risk processors like AllayPay and QuadraPay, which come with:
• 10% rolling reserves held for 3-6 months
• Much higher processing fees
• Mandatory LegitScript certification requirements
• Lengthy approval processes
Translation: vendors that can still accept payments are passing these massive costs directly to you.
The FDA Warning Letter Avalanche
While payment problems are crippling the industry, the FDA has been delivering the knockout punch.
The numbers are staggering: The FDA issued over 50 warning letters in September 2025 alone, targeting peptide vendors, compounders, and manufacturers. Major vendors like Prime Peptides, Summit Research, Swisschems, and USApeptide.com received formal warning letters for selling "research use only" products while clearly marketing them for human use.
What gets you flagged:
• Posting dosing guides or injection instructions
• Using weight loss testimonials or before/after photos
• Including keywords like "anti-aging," "fat loss," or "muscle building"
• Selling peptides bundled with syringes and bacteriostatic water
• Social media content showing transformation results
• Having Discord or Telegram channels discussing human use
The FDA is now using AI to scrape websites for hidden dosing information. That "research use only" disclaimer? The agency considers it a ruse if any other evidence suggests human consumption.
Why the crackdown now? GLP-1 peptides like semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) became blockbuster drugs worth billions to pharmaceutical companies. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have been actively pursuing copycat vendors through legal action, DMCA takedowns, and regulatory pressure.
What an FDA Warning Letter Actually Means
Receiving an FDA warning letter isn't a slap on the wrist—it's a business death sentence. Companies have 15 days to respond with corrective action plans or face:
• Product seizures by U.S. Marshals
• Court injunctions shutting down operations
• Criminal prosecution in egregious cases
• Permanent loss of payment processing
• Platform bans from Shopify, social media, and search engines
Even if you fix the violations, the damage is done. Once that letter goes public on FDA.gov, payment processors flee and suppliers cut ties. Most vendors never recover.
The Compounding Pharmacy Squeeze
Compounding pharmacies are caught in the middle. In early 2024, the FDA added popular peptides like BPC-157, ipamorelin, and thymosin to its "Category 2" safety risk list—despite admitting there wasn't enough data to prove they were actually dangerous.
Pharmacies haven't been banned from compounding peptides, but their licenses are on the line if they make a mistake. The result? Most have stopped offering peptides entirely out of fear, creating massive supply shortages.
What's still legal: Only peptides that are FDA-approved, have GRAS status, or appear on specific approved lists—like sermorelin and NAD+.
The Underground Alternative
As legitimate sources dry up, unregulated "research chemical" vendors are filling the void. These companies aren't bound by pharmacy regulations, and the risks are real:
• Dosing can be off by 10-90%—too little or too much
• Contamination with bacteria, heavy metals, or even steroids
• No quality control, sterility standards, or purity testing
• Legal exposure for both buyers and sellers
State attorneys general have begun suing these vendors for contamination and misrepresentation. Several have already been shut down for providing medical advice, which they're legally prohibited from doing.
What This Means for You
Bottom line: The easy access to research peptides could be over for many. If you're looking for legitimate peptide therapy in 2025:
Demand Certificates of Analysis—every batch should have third-party testing
Purchase from vetted Project Biohacking affiliated sources - These are trusted sources who are pioneers in the research peptide space. They put their names and reputation behind the products and manufacture in North America.
The regulatory landscape is still evolving. Whether enforcement will ease or intensify remains to be seen, but for now, the days of ordering peptides online with a credit card may be coming to an end soon.
Stay informed. Stay safe.
Sources: FDA.gov, RAPS, BioSpace, Florida Healthcare Law Firm, Frier Levitt
Project Biohacking Resources
Peptide Reconstitution Guide
The new step-by-step peptide reconstitution page walks you through the exact tools, methods, and safety practices to get perfect results every time. Designed for both beginners and advanced biohackers, it’s now live on the site. |
Peptide Sources with Discount Codes
We’ve built a full resource hub featuring trusted peptide vendors. Each page includes background on the company, why they’ve earned our trust, and exclusive discount codes for the Project Biohacking community. |
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Why These Matter
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From Around The Web
How to find out if your Doctors are receiving Payments from Pharmaceutical Companies👇
— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N)
4:22 PM • Oct 19, 2025
🔚 Outro & Final Thoughts
The Bottom Line
The peptide landscape is changing. Between vanishing payment options, aggressive FDA enforcement, and the underground alternatives flooding the market, the "research peptide" era as we knew it is ending.
The days of easy access are over. The question now isn't whether regulation is coming, it's whether you're prepared to navigate what's already here.
Until next time, stay ahead of your age!
– Jeff
Founder, Project Biohacking
https://www.projectbiohacking.com/
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Disclaimer: I’m here to share what I’ve learned, not to replace your doctor. Always check with a qualified healthcare provider before trying anything new. And yes, peptides are often for research use only; please don’t turn your kitchen into a chemistry lab without supervision.