NEW YORK — Nearly half of U.S. physicians surveyed by Sermo said patients have disclosed using non-FDA-approved peptides, highlighting growing concern over unregulated use of emerging metabolic and wellness-related therapies.
The findings come from the 45th Sermo Barometer, which surveyed 507 U.S.-based healthcare providers across cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, internal medicine, neurology and orthopedic surgery from May 8 to May 12, 2026.
Sermo said 48% of surveyed physicians reported that patients had disclosed use of non-FDA-approved peptides in the past 12 months. Physicians said patients most often accessed the products through medspas, online “research” products and compounding pharmacies.
Patients sought the therapies primarily for weight loss, cited by 69% of physicians, followed by anti-aging at 57%, muscle gain at 55% and longevity at 41%.
“Patient peptide use feels like the wild west right now,” said Ashish Rana, M.D., an internal medicine specialist and Sermo Medical Advisory Board member. “Influencers are pushing a steady stream of unregulated therapies online, and patients are showing up to appointments asking about peptides we have no efficacy or safety data on, and that often weren’t manufactured under any meaningful oversight.”
The survey comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to convene an advisory committee in July to discuss peptide regulation.
Sermo said 66% of physicians surveyed were very or moderately concerned about patients accessing investigational peptides outside supervised clinical pathways. Eighty-one percent said a clear FDA approval or review pathway is essential or very important to how they counsel patients on emerging therapies.
If access to peptides expands, physicians cited patients self-directing treatment without clinical oversight and the challenge of monitoring safety and side effects as their top concerns, at 33% and 30%, respectively.
The survey also found that social media is playing a major role in shaping patient expectations. Eighty-four percent of physicians said patients cite social media, podcasts, influencers or online forums as sources of peptide information. More than half said that happens almost always or frequently.
Sermo said the information gap is affecting clinical visits, with 33% of physicians citing unrealistic patient expectations as the biggest challenge in peptide-related conversations. Twenty-one percent said they feel pressure from patients to recommend treatments that are not FDA-approved.
The survey also found growing physician expectations for next-generation GLP-based therapies, including GLP-3 and triple-agonist agents such as retatrutide. Among relevant specialists, 69% expected strong patient interest once those therapies are approved, while 24% said patients are already asking about them.
Sermo said the findings suggest GLP-3 therapies may enter a market already shaped by the rapid growth of GLP-1 drugs and patient demand driven in part by social channels.
