Can you bring peptides to the United States?

• Peptides

  prohibited

  This covers peptides that are not FDA-approved drugs, such as BPC-157, TB-500, melanotan II, CJC-1295, ipamorelin and retatrutide. The FDA says that if a drug is not approved in the US, importing it is illegal, even for personal use and even if it is approved in another country. A "research use only" or "not for human consumption" label does not change this: in a March 2026 warning letter the FDA said such labels do not stop a product being treated as a drug for human use. The FDA may let a personal supply through in limited cases (generally no more than 3 months, for your own use, and for a serious condition with no treatment available in the US, or a product with no known significant health risk). That is a choice the FDA makes, not a right, and the FDA has flagged safety concerns for most of the peptides named here. FDA-approved peptide medicines, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or insulin, are a different case: see the injectable medication entry.

  Also covers: peptides, peptide, research peptides, peptide injections, bpc-157, bpc 157, tb-500, tb 500, thymosin beta-4, melanotan, melanotan ii, melanotan 2, cjc-1295, ipamorelin

  Download border card (PDF)

  Source U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Personal ImportationChecked against the source on 2026-10-13

Check your specific trip →|All medication rules for the United States →

Informational only — not legal advice. Customs rules change; confirm with the official source above before you travel. Not medical advice. Don't stop or change a medicine because of a travel rule without talking to your doctor. See update history