The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is concerned about the rise in the import, supply, compounding and advertising of unapproved peptide products and the potential safety risks associated with these goods.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Peptides can mimic or stimulate natural biological processes, including those involved in growth, metabolism and tissue repair. Under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, peptide products are regulated as therapeutic goods in Australia. Several peptide-based medicines, such as insulin products for the management of diabetes, are approved by the TGA and are included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
Unapproved peptide products are goods which have not been included in the ARTG. The TGA is aware that the use or supply of unapproved peptide products is being promoted on a number of online and social media platforms, with claims they have a range of health benefits including weight loss, muscle growth, anti‑ageing, and enhancing cognitive and athletic performance. These products have not been evaluated for safety, quality or effectiveness by the TGA.
Examples of unapproved peptide products include those containing BPC‑157, GHK‑Cu, TB‑500, retatrutide and CJC‑1295, often supplied in injectable form.
Important information about these unapproved peptide products remains unknown, resulting in an increased health risk for users. This information includes how they are manufactured, whether they are sterile, how they work in the body, what side effects they may cause, and what substances these products actually contain. Product labelling may be inaccurate or misleading, meaning consumers and healthcare professionals may not have reliable information about the ingredients, dosage and administration. Unapproved peptide products, particularly those that are injected, can carry other significant safety risks, including contamination, infection or local tissue damage. As the TGA has not reviewed any scientific evidence to support the safety or claimed benefits of these unapproved peptide products, their use may result in side effects, interactions with other medicines, and both immediate and long term health harms, with no demonstrated benefits. Consumers should be cautious when buying any therapeutic goods online, including unapproved peptide products, especially if prescription-only products are supplied without a proper prescription. This can be unsafe and may be unlawful.
Adverse events and other concerns received by the TGA for these unapproved products include:
- severe allergic reactions, requiring doses of adrenaline and hospitalisation
- systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (severe inflammation in the body), requiring hospital management
- generalised hypersensitivity symptoms such as full‑body intense itching, palpitations, pain and sweating
- wide ranging body side effects, including insomnia, blurred vision, extreme tiredness, flu‑like illness, joint pain and skin sensitivity
- musculoskeletal injuries, including plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis, and
- poor product quality, including unsealed packaging from an online supplier.
The TGA urges all individuals and businesses involved in prescribing, compounding, supplying or promoting peptide products to ensure they understand and comply with all of their legal requirements. The TGA is also warning consumers about the risks associated with importing and using unapproved peptide products under the Personal Importation Scheme.
Please refer to the following website in TGA for details:
http://www.tga.gov.au/safety/safety-monitoring-and-information/../understanding-your-responsibilities-when-importing-compounding-and-supplying-unapproved-peptide-products
In Hong Kong, there is no registered pharmaceutical product containing peptides BPC‑157, GHK‑Cu, TB‑500, retatrutide or CJC‑1295 as mentioned in the above TGA announcement. Related news was previously issued by Health Canada, and was posted on the Drug Office website on 10 Apr 2026.
Ends/Monday, Apr 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:45
|
