The Journal.

Why Chinese Fentanyl Factories Are Making Peptides Now

October 7, 2026
Why Chinese Fentanyl Factories Are Making Peptides Now

The world’s biggest chemical industry is in China. For years, Chinese factories have also been a major producer of ingredients used to make fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has contributed to thousands of deaths in the U.S. After a recent crackdown in China, WSJ’s Patricia Kowsmann reports that some of those same factories are now entering a new booming US market: bootleg peptides. Imani Moise hosts.


Further Listening:

- Peptides Are Everywhere. Businesses Are Cashing In.

- How Cocaine is Flooding in Europe

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