News

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TGA targets illegal peptides in new compliance crackdown

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The exponential growth of illegal peptide use in Australia is such a risk to consumer safety, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has officially made it a compliance priority for 2026.
 
On Wednesday, the medicines watchdog formally expanded its priority focus areas to include unapproved peptide products, which are being marketed for performance enhancement and anti-ageing.
 
The TGA says the formal inclusion of peptides as a focus area reflects a ‘scaling up of regulatory attention’ in response to increased importation, expanded online advertising and supply, and emerging safety concerns.
 
It is the latest in a long line of recent TGA notices about the treatments – just months ago it warned practitioners who compound, prescribe or supply unapproved peptide products to comply with regulatory requirements and professional practice standards.
 
The new crackdown comes as injectable peptides’ popularity continues to skyrocket across Australia, with 65% of GPs seeing an increase in the number of patients interested in the products, according to a June newsGP poll.
 
Professor Anthony Lawler, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Deputy Secretary and head of the TGA, said the decision ‘reflects a deliberate, risk-based response to an evolving market’.
 
‘As the availability of unapproved peptide products has increased, so too has evidence of potential risk to consumers,’ he said.
 
‘Australians should be very cautious about buying unapproved peptide products online, particularly from overseas websites or through online platforms or social media.
 
‘If you don’t know exactly what’s in the vial, where it was made or whether it’s sterile, you could be putting your health at serious risk.’
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright supports the TGA’s action, saying it is a ‘really unclear and unsafe space for patients and for GPs’.
 
‘With the emergence of these unregulated drugs, we’re seeing them on the black or grey market,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘With the TGA’s announcement, there’s really going to be heightened awareness, particularly given these unapproved products might not meet Australian standards for safety, quality, efficacy and have no guarantees of containing what they say they do.
 
‘There really could be risk for patients if they’re provided, particularly without medical supervision.’
 
Earlier this year, an eight-month joint operation between the TGA, Australian Border Force and Victoria Police led to the seizure of $2 million worth of peptide products, performance and image enhancing drugs and illicit steroids.
 
If future products are found, the watchdog confirmed regulatory responses include infringement notices, product seizures, import interventions and, where appropriate, civil or criminal penalties.
 
For GPs, Dr Wright urged significant caution moving forward.
 
‘The real issue here is that the evidence around these isn’t there – even if claims were able to be proven, we’re not able to access reliable supplies,’ he said.
 
‘What we’re seeing imported to Australia doesn’t meet safety standards that would even allow us to know what is in them, let alone if they’re effective.’
 
The TGA revealed its Compliance Principles for 2026–27 in January, detailing its approach to monitoring and enforcing regulatory compliance for therapeutic goods.
 
Its priority focus areas are reviewed every three months, with the most updated list including:

• direct to consumer in vitro diagnostic kits
• erectile dysfunction medications
• foetal dopplers
• listed medicine advertising
• medicinal cannabis
• melatonin
• peptides
• software as a medical device
• substandard and falsified therapeutic goods
• sunscreens
• therapeutic goods used in cosmetic procedures
• vaping goods
• weight-loss medications.

If GPs suspect non-compliance in relation to therapeutic goods, they can report illegal or questionable practices or suspected non-compliant advertising on the TGA website.
 
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compliance peptides TGA Therapeutic Goods Administration

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