STAT+: Are stem cells the next peptides? These advocates think RFK Jr. could make it happen
Peptides gained legitimacy at the FDA after being embraced by MAHA. Advocates hope stem cell treatments will follow the same path.
Washington - Stem cell entrepreneur Chuck Meeker is optimistic about the prospects of his industry with the Food and Drug Administration currently. "If I were a betting man," Meeker said at PepMed 2026, a conference for regenerative health businesses organized by the American Academy of Peptide Medicine, "I would say before the year's end, we will have a series of FDA roundtables happening."
The mention of stem cells at a conference focused on peptides is no coincidence. Both stem cells and peptides are integral parts of regenerative medicine, which aims at therapies that aim to harness the body's innate healing abilities. However, while compounded peptides have been gaining some traction with the FDA, commercially available, unapproved stem cell treatments have remained a taboo for the agency.
Meeker and other participants at PepMed told STAT that they believe this is about to change. The stem cell industry perceives the FDA's preliminary acceptance of peptides as an opportunity to enter the market and bring stem cells from the gray market to millions of Americans.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
