Illegal peptide warnings intensify amid acute liver toxicity

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, has issued an urgent plea for patients to stay away from illegal peptides amid mounting reports of serious adverse reactions.
 
It follows revelations that six cases of acute liver toxicity have been reported in Victoria in 2026, all linked to an unapproved peptide product labelled as Retatrutide.
 
Investigations into the injuries are ongoing, including looking into reported cases in other jurisdictions.
 
The Retatrutide products were purchased online, through friends, and through social media ads marketed for muscle growth, fat loss, recovery and anti-ageing, the Victorian Health Department confirmed.
 
‘The clinical presentation of the cases reported to date suggest additional contaminants may be contributing to the observed liver toxicity in the products,’ Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Caroline McElnay, confirmed.
 
She is now urging healthcare professionals to be alert for patients with abnormal liver function tests or any signs or symptoms of an acute liver injury.
 
‘Ask patients who present with compatible signs and symptoms about peptide use,’ Dr McElnay said.
 
‘Consider asking any patients about their use of online products including peptides.
 
‘Collect specific information about the product including the name, advertised ingredients, recommended and actual dose taken and place of purchase.
 
‘Where possible, obtain a sample or photos of the product and packaging.’
 
It comes as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) confirmed it has also identified serious adverse effects associated with the use of unapproved peptides, including liver damage, severe allergic reactions, and inflammation.
 
Professor Kidd added his voice to increasingly urgent warnings against use of the illegal products.
 
‘Unapproved peptide products pose a growing public health risk,’ he said.
 
‘Some of these products have not undergone sufficient human clinical trials and may cause significant harm.
 
‘Australians should not use these products and should seek advice from their trusted healthcare professional.’
 
Despite previous warnings, the TGA said it is seeing increasing imports, online promotion and supply of unapproved peptides in Australia – labelling their use a ‘growing public health concern’.
 
Earlier this month, the medicines watchdog formally expanded its priority focus areas to include unapproved peptide products, making them a compliance priority for 2026.
 
It comes as injectable peptides’ popularity continues to surge, with 65% of GPs seeing an increase in the number of patients interested in the products, according to a June newsGP poll.
 
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