WADA 2026 Prohibited List: A Research-Awareness Guide for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports-Science Researchers

**Disclaimer:** This article is provided for educational and research-awareness purposes only. It summarizes the 2026 Prohibited List published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for the benefit of athletes, coaches, and sports-science researchers conducting legitimate research awareness and policy work. **Peptides sold by Viking Labs are research chemicals and are not approved for human use.** Nothing in this article should be interpreted as recommending, endorsing, or describing human use of any substance. Athletes subject to anti-doping rules should consult their National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) and a qualified sports physician for any specific guidance on prohibited substance status. The official source of record is the [WADA 2026 Prohibited List](https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/2026-prohibited-list).

What the Prohibited List Is

The World Anti-Doping Agency publishes an annually updated Prohibited List that defines, for the purposes of international sport, which substances and methods are prohibited in competition, out of competition, or both. The list is binding on all signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, which includes the International Olympic Committee, all International Federations, and most national anti-doping organizations.

The 2026 List was published in late 2025 and entered into force on 1 January 2026. The list is grouped into categories:

• S0 --- Non-approved substances (substances with no current human regulatory approval anywhere in the world)
• S1 --- Anabolic agents
• S2 --- Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics
• S3 --- Beta-2 agonists
• S4 --- Hormone and metabolic modulators
• S5 --- Diuretics and masking agents
• S6--S9 --- In-competition prohibitions (stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids, glucocorticoids)
• M1--M3 --- Prohibited methods
• P1--P2 --- Substances prohibited in particular sports

This article focuses on S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics), which is the section most relevant to research peptide awareness, with brief notes on adjacent categories.

For broader research-awareness on peptide identity verification, see Getting Started with COAs.

Section S0: Non-Approved Substances

S0 is a catch-all category that prohibits "any pharmacological substance which is not addressed by any of the subsequent sections of the List and with no current approval by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use."

This is operationally important: any peptide that is sold as a research chemical and has no human regulatory approval falls under S0 by default if it is not specifically named elsewhere on the list. Many of the peptides commonly discussed in research circles --- including [BPC-157](/catalog/bpc-157), [TB-500](/catalog/tb-500), [MOTS-c](/catalog/mots-c), [Epitalon](/research/epitalon-telomere), [GHK-Cu](/catalog/klow-blend), Selank, [Semax](/research/semax-cognitive), and many others --- are S0-class for the simple reason that they have no approved human therapeutic use anywhere in the world.

The S0 designation means the substance is prohibited at all times for athletes subject to anti-doping rules.

Section S2: Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics

S2 names specific classes of peptide-related substances explicitly. The 2026 list maintains the structure used in recent years and is broken into subcategories:

S2.1 Erythropoietins (EPO) and Agents Affecting Erythropoiesis

Includes erythropoietin-receptor agonists (epoetin alfa/beta/delta/zeta/omega/theta, darbepoetin), HIF stabilizers (cobalt, daprodustat, molidustat, roxadustat, vadadustat), GATA inhibitors, TGF-beta signalling inhibitors (luspatercept, sotatercept), and innate-repair receptor agonists.

S2.2 Peptide Hormones and Their Releasing Factors

This subsection contains the categories most relevant to research-peptide awareness. The 2026 list explicitly prohibits:

Chorionic Gonadotrophin (CG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and their releasing factors (in male athletes).

Corticotrophins and their releasing factors (corticorelin).

Growth Hormone (GH), its fragments and releasing factors:

• GH fragments including but not limited to AOD-9604 and hGH 176--191
• Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) and its analogues explicitly named: CJC-1293, CJC-1295, sermorelin, tesamorelin
• Growth Hormone Secretagogues (GHS) and their mimetics explicitly named: anamorelin, capromorelin, ibutamoren (MK-677), ipamorelin, lenomorelin (ghrelin), macimorelin, tabimorelin
• GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs) explicitly named: alexamorelin, examorelin (hexarelin), GHRP-1, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), GHRP-3, GHRP-4, GHRP-5, GHRP-6

These named substances comprise a substantial portion of the peptides commonly referenced in the research-peptide marketplace. All are prohibited at all times.

S2.3 Growth Factors and Growth Factor Modulators

Includes:

• Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs)
• Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)
• Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) and its analogues, including the long-acting IGF-1 LR3 variant
• Mechano Growth Factors (MGFs)
• Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)
• Thymosin-beta-4 and its derivatives (TB-500, the synthetic peptide commonly referenced in research contexts, falls into this category)
• Vascular-Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)

The IGF-1 LR3 long-acting analogue is explicitly captured here.

Status of BPC-157

BPC-157 is one of the most frequently discussed research peptides. Its WADA status has been a recurring point of confusion in the public discussion. In the 2026 List, BPC-157 is not specifically named in the S2 categories. However:

• BPC-157 has no human regulatory approval anywhere in the world.
• It therefore falls under S0 (Non-Approved Substances) by the default rule that any non-approved pharmacological substance is prohibited.

WADA has historically issued specific guidance on BPC-157 confirming its prohibited status under S0. Athletes should treat BPC-157 as prohibited at all times.

What's New in 2026

WADA's 2026 update introduced several changes from the 2025 List, summarized in the official WADA News announcement of the 2026 List publication. Notable changes include:

• Continued refinement of the GHRH analogue and GHS mimetic naming to capture newer compounds.
• Updated method detection windows for several substances based on current laboratory testing capabilities.
• Editorial clarifications across multiple categories.

The exact text of the 2026 List should be consulted directly via the WADA 2026 Prohibited List PDF for the authoritative wording.

In-Competition Versus Out-of-Competition

S2 substances are prohibited at all times --- both in competition and out of competition. This contrasts with categories such as S6 (stimulants), S7 (narcotics), and S9 (glucocorticoids when administered by certain routes), which are prohibited only in competition.

For an athlete subject to anti-doping rules, "out of competition" does not mean "permitted." A positive sample collected from an out-of-competition test for any S2 substance constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

WADA's TUE process allows an athlete with a documented medical condition to use an otherwise prohibited substance under strict conditions. TUE applications require:

• A documented medical diagnosis from a qualified physician
• Evidence that the prohibited substance is the indicated treatment
• Evidence that no permitted alternative would be effective
• Pre-approval from the athlete's NADO or International Federation

For S2 substances, TUEs are uncommon and granted only in specific clinical circumstances (for example, GH replacement for documented adult-onset GH deficiency in an athlete with appropriate endocrinology workup).

A TUE is not a workaround. The application requires medical evidence, and the burden of proof is on the athlete.

Strict Liability

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, athletes operate under strict liability: an Anti-Doping Rule Violation can be established by the presence of a prohibited substance in a sample regardless of whether the athlete intended to take the substance, knew it was prohibited, or knew it was in a product they consumed. This makes contamination of nutritional supplements with prohibited peptides --- which has been documented repeatedly in the testing literature --- a serious risk.

For a research peptide environment, this principle has practical consequences. Athletes who handle research peptides as part of legitimate research work --- for example, sports-science researchers conducting in-vitro or animal-protocol studies --- should follow strict laboratory hygiene and ensure no possibility of cross-contamination with their own consumables.

Resources

The authoritative WADA resources for 2026 are:

• WADA 2026 Prohibited List (resources page)
• Athlete and Athlete Support Personnel Guide to the 2026 Prohibited List
• WADA news announcement of the 2026 Prohibited List
• WADA Prohibited List landing page

National Anti-Doping Organizations publish localized guidance, often with a search-by-substance tool that returns prohibited status against the current list.

Summary

The WADA 2026 Prohibited List captures the full S2 peptide-hormone, GH-releasing-factor, and growth-factor categories. The vast majority of research peptides discussed in the public marketplace are either explicitly named in S2 or fall under S0 by default. Athletes subject to anti-doping rules should treat any research peptide as prohibited until they have obtained a written confirmation otherwise from their NADO. Researchers conducting awareness work, sports-science studies, or policy analysis should consult the official 2026 List directly and treat third-party summaries (including this one) as a starting reference, not an authoritative source.

For research-context documentation that supports legitimate research awareness, see Understanding Peptide Purity and Research Peptide Buying Guide.