What Is VIP? Benefits, Research & Safety
A neuropeptide with vasodilatory, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, researched for various therapeutic applications.
UK summary: Endogenous vasoactive peptide. The analogue aviptadil has been investigated for pulmonary indications (including COVID-19 acute respiratory distress) but is not currently a routinely used UK medicine.
Quick Facts
Overview
VIP — evidence and risk at a glance
Twenty standard modules scored against the Peptide Authority evidence grading methodology. Missing modules indicate the field has not yet been characterised editorially — treat absences as uncertainty rather than reassurance.
01Evidence snapshot
Endogenous vasoactive peptide. The analogue aviptadil has been investigated for pulmonary indications (including COVID-19 acute respiratory distress) but is not currently a routinely used UK medicine.
02Human evidence grade
03Preclinical evidence grade
04Regulatory status
- UK: Not licensed for general use. May be available in research settings.
- EU: Not approved for standard therapeutic use.
- Notes: VIP (aviptadil) has been granted Emergency Use Authorization in some jurisdictions for specific indications. It is not widely approved. Clinical trials continue for pulmonary hypertension, ARDS, and other conditions.
05Approved medical uses
None in the UK or EU as a finished medicine. (Or: not yet documented; treat as absence rather than approval.)
06Unapproved / promotional claims
- Treats CIRS / chronic inflammatory response syndrome.
- Cures 'mould illness'.
- Reverses long COVID.
07Common internet claims
- Marketed by some private 'functional medicine' clinics for chronic inflammation.
08Claim vs evidence
| Claim | Evidence | Human evidence? | Regulatory concern | Safer wording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Treats chronic inflammation / mould illness” | D | No | High | Mechanistic interest exists for several inflammatory conditions; not a UK-licensed treatment for any wellness-grade indication. |
09Safety uncertainty score
Safety profile partly characterised; some signals from observational or preclinical data.
10Known adverse signals
- Cardiovascular effects (BP, vasodilation).
- Injection-site reactions.
- Long-term effects of nasal / injectable VIP not characterised.
11Drug-interaction uncertainty
Some interaction data published; check with a prescriber for your specific medicines.
12Anti-doping status
13UK legal position
Not licensed for general use. May be available in research settings.
14EU legal position
Not approved for standard therapeutic use.
15What this page cannot tell you
- Whether grey-market VIP products contain the labelled compound.
- Whether off-label CIRS / long-COVID use produces benefit.
16Last reviewed
17Citation quality score
18Research gaps
- No Phase 3 trials for CIRS, mould illness, or long-COVID in the UK regulatory environment.
19Safer alternatives / established care pathways
- NHS long-COVID clinic referral via GP.
- Specialist immunology assessment for chronic inflammatory concerns.
20Doctor discussion prompts
Questions to ask a qualified clinician
These are starter questions you can adapt for a GP, specialist, pharmacist, or anti-doping advisor. The aim is to help you have a better-informed conversation — not to replace one.
- What licensed UK options exist for the inflammatory condition I'm researching?
Discovery & History
Mechanism of Action
Researched Benefits
Based on preclinical and clinical research findings:
- 1Potent vasodilation, particularly in pulmonary circulation
- 2Anti-inflammatory effects in various models
- 3Bronchodilation and airway protection
- 4Immunomodulation in autoimmune disease research
- 5Neuroprotective properties
- 6Potential in ARDS and respiratory failure (under investigation)
Claim vs Evidence
How popular claims about VIP stack up against the current research, graded using our public evidence grading methodology.
| Claim | Evidence | Human evidence? | Regulatory concern | Safer wording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Treats chronic inflammation / mould illness” | D | No | High | Mechanistic interest exists for several inflammatory conditions; not a UK-licensed treatment for any wellness-grade indication. |
Theoretical Dosing & Protocols
| Theoretical Dosage | Variable depending on indication and delivery method |
| Frequency | Variable |
| Duration | Variable |
| Notes | VIP/aviptadil is under clinical investigation for various conditions. It is not widely approved for therapeutic use. Short half-life requires consideration of delivery method. Research and clinical use should be under specialist supervision. |
Administration Routes
Routes studied in research settings (educational only):
- Intravenous (clinical trials)
- Inhaled (pulmonary applications)
- Intranasal (some research)
| Half-Life | Stability |
|---|---|
| Very short; approximately 1-2 minutes in plasma | Requires careful handling; subject to enzymatic degradation |
Safety Profile & Known Risks
Commonly Reported Side Effects
- Hypotension (due to vasodilation)
- Flushing
- Tachycardia
- Gastrointestinal effects
- Headache
Rare Risks & Concerns
- Severe hypotension
- Cardiac arrhythmias
- Unknown long-term effects
Contraindications
- Hypotension
- Cardiogenic shock
- Certain cardiac conditions
- Pregnancy (limited data)
UK & EU Regulatory Context
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Not licensed for general use. May be available in research settings.
🇪🇺 European Union
Not approved for standard therapeutic use.
Clinical Studies Summary
Incidence risk and risk factors for postcholecystectomy syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
PCS presents a considerable clinical risk, particularly in patients with preexisting symptoms. Clinicians should prioritize preoperative assessment, with special attention to symptomatic patients, and implement individualized perioperative management strategies to mitigate PCS risk.
Risk prediction models for dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Simplified predictive models for childhood caries showed moderate discriminatory performance but exhibited a high risk of bias, as assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST).
Comparative efficacy and safety of biologics and systemic immunomodulatory treatments for chronic urticaria: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Among individuals with chronic urticaria refractory to antihistamines, standard-dose omalizumab and remibrutinib are among the most effective drugs across multiple patient-important outcomes with a favorable safety profile across the studied duration. Cyclosporine may be effective but may be among the most harmful.
Correlations between social media addiction and anxiety, depression, FoMO, loneliness and self-esteem among students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
This meta-analysis revealed that SMA was positively associated with anxiety, depression and loneliness but negatively associated with self-esteem. These findings indicate that students with SMA are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and loneliness. Conducting larger prospective studies would be beneficial to verify our findings.
Risk prediction models for deep venous thrombosis in patients with acute stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Although the included studies reported a certain level of discrimination in the prediction models of DVT in patients with acute stroke, all of them were found to have a high risk of bias according to the PROBAST checklist. Future studies should focus on developing new models with larger samples, rigorous study designs, and multicenter external validation.
Acupressure for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The pooled results showed that acupressure exhibited a significant beneficial effect on reducing the severity of depression compared with sham acupressure and served as an adjunct to conventional treatment, although the evidence level was moderate. Thus, acupressure may be a potential treatment for depression.
Registered Trials & Regulatory Status
21 of 30 completed trials have never posted results. Unreported trials are not neutral: results that go unpublished are more often negative ones.
Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Racial-Ethnic Socialization Competency (VIP-RACE)
Status: Recruiting · 110 participants · Penn State University
Conditions: Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms, Conduct Problems
Mississippi Violence Injury Prevention (VIP) Program
Status: Not Yet Recruiting · 500 participants · University of Mississippi Medical Center
Conditions: Gun Shot Wound
Medical Effects of Proximal (In-person) Intercessory (PIP) and Virtual Intercessory Prayer (VIP) on Pain and Anxiety
Status: Completed · 180 participants · University of Maryland, Baltimore
Conditions: Pain and Anxiety, Complementary Therapies
Extraperitoneal SINgle-port rObotic-assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP) Versus Transperitoneal Multi-port RARP in the Treatment Of Prostate Cancer (SINO-TOP)
Status: Recruiting · 480 participants · Shanghai Changzheng Hospital
Conditions: Prostate Adenocarcinoma, Localized Prostate Carcinoma
Creating VIP Corps to Reduce Maternal Deaths
Status: Recruiting · 2,800 participants · Ann Coker
Conditions: Maternal Morbidity and Mortality
Neuropeptide Expression During the Ovarian Cycle and in Patients With PCOS
Status: Unknown · 45 participants · University Of Perugia
Conditions: PCOS
Post-market Clinical Investigation of the Angio-Seal™ VIP VCD (ANGIO-SEAL CLOSE)
Status: Unknown · 230 participants · Terumo Europe N.V.
Conditions: Vascular Closure, Endovascular Procedure, Hemostasis
Circumferential Vertebral Reconstruction of Osteoporotic Compression Fractures Using a Novel Bipedicular Peek Implant
Status: Terminated · 23 participants · Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Conditions: Vertebral Compression Fractures, Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures
VIP - Vascular Infection Project
Status: Recruiting · 1,000 participants · University Hospital, Bordeaux
Conditions: Aortitis, Vascular Graft Infection, Blood Vessel Prosthesis
Video Interaction Project in Brazil
Status: Completed · 32 participants · NYU Langone Health
Conditions: Parenting
A Cardiac Surgery Virtual Nutrition Intervention Program Feasibility Study-VIP Study Protocol
Status: Completed · 20 participants · St. Boniface Hospital
Conditions: Nutritional Deficiency
Evaluation of Values in Perspective (VIP) Program
Status: Completed · 850 participants · University of Miami
Conditions: Risk Behavior
Adverse event reports (FDA FAERS)
- cerebrovascular accident1
- device failure1
- head injury1
- product use in unapproved indication1
- syncope1
FDA FAERS spontaneous reports. A report is not proof the substance caused the event, and an absence of reports is not evidence of safety.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and openFDA. Updated automatically.
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View at SupplierFrequently Asked Questions
Questions to ask a qualified clinician about VIP
These are starter questions you can adapt for a GP, specialist, pharmacist, or anti-doping advisor. The aim is to help you have a better-informed conversation — not to replace one.
- What licensed UK options exist for the inflammatory condition I'm researching?
UK regulatory & safety context
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