12/16/2025
Why the soon-coming shutdown of “Research Use Only” peptide companies is actually good news:
Over the last several years, “research use only” peptide labs & companies have quietly fueled a BIG problem in healthcare: powerful medical therapies being used without medical oversight. (Ever wonder how your local hair salons and gym bros are offering these?)
GLP-1 medications, peptides, and even hormones have become widely available online, often without prescriptions, proper screening, lab work, dosing guidance, or follow-up care. People are self-injecting substances they don’t fully understand, sourced from companies not held to medical manufacturing standards.
The result?
• Incorrect dosing
• Poor titration
• Lack of education on side effects
• No medical support when symptoms occur
And unfortunately, this has led to a bad reputation for therapies that are actually very safe and effective when used correctly.
GLP-1 medications are a perfect example. When prescribed and monitored appropriately, they can improve metabolic health, insulin resistance, cardiovascular risk, and inflammation. But when people obtain them through unregulated sources, start at doses that are too high, or stack them improperly, they get sick - and then blame the medication itself rather than the lack of medical guidance.
Last week was the annual A4M Longevity Conference in Vegas. This conference brings together thousands of health and wellness industry insiders - including supplement suppliers and companies that are not licensed medical professionals. One of the biggest topics circulating quietly at the conference was that multiple “research use only” peptide companies have already been served cease-and-desist letters from the government.
The message was clear: the crackdown has begun.
Companies that are currently selling - or have sold in the past - unregulated research peptides are being forced to shut down on or before December 31, 2025.
The so-called “online peptide industry” is being dismantled because it was built on:
• Illegal or improper manufacturing
• Counterfeit or inconsistent materials
• Fake or unreliable lab reports
• Poor and unsafe dosing practices
• Incentivized influencer marketing
• Zero meaningful regulatory oversight
This is not about restricting access to care - it’s about protecting the public from unsafe products.
As legitimate, licensed healthcare providers, our responsibility is to protect current and future patients. That means saying no to shortcuts and yes to safety, transparency, and accountability.
At Restore Wellness, we only prescribe medications sourced from FDA-regulated, monitored, and compliant compounding pharmacies that meet all required safety and quality standards. No gray-market sourcing. No unverified products. No guesswork.
And for those who have turned to unregulated products because they felt like the “cheaper” option: affordability should never come at the cost of safety. We work hard to keep care accessible and affordable while maintaining medical oversight and ethical sourcing: because patients deserve both.
This shift doesn’t mean the end of peptides, GLP-1s, or hormone therapy. It means the end of DIY medicine with prescription-level substances.
The future of wellness is not shortcuts. It’s proper evaluation, regulated sourcing, individualized dosing, and medical follow-up. We will always focus on quality, safety, and affordability for our patients!