Unapproved peptide products are being advertised as delivering fast health results, but they can pose serious health risks to consumers.
There are significant legal consequences for those who unlawfully advertise, import, manufacture, supply or export them. These consequences apply to individuals and businesses involved in unlawfully advertising, importing, manufacturing, supplying or exporting unapproved peptide products.
Despite repeated TGA warnings, peptide products continue to be promoted online for weight loss, anti-ageing, muscle growth, performance enhancement and cosmetic purposes.
The TGA is actively identifying and disrupting unlawful activity in this market. Those doing the wrong thing may face warning letters, infringement notices, product seizures and forfeiture, civil penalties and, in serious cases, criminal prosecution. The TGA is also working directly with social media and e-commerce platforms to stop advertising that breaches platform policies or is unlawful.
The message is simple:
- If you are buying unapproved peptide products, understand the risks.
- If you are advertising, importing, supplying, manufacturing or exporting them, know your legal obligations.
- If you are unlawfully advertising, importing, supplying, manufacturing or exporting them, expect the TGA to take action.
Promoting peptide products online
The TGA regulates advertisements for therapeutic goods, including both approved and unapproved peptide products.
Advertising unapproved therapeutic goods to Australian consumers is generally unlawful. This includes websites, online marketplaces, social media posts, influencer content and other forms of digital marketing.
Influencers, affiliates, online sellers and anyone else promoting unapproved peptide products may be held accountable for unlawful advertising and should ensure they understand their legal obligations.
Growing online market raises concerns
The TGA is seeing a significant increase in the online promotion, advertising and supply of peptide products.
Professor Anthony Lawler, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and head of the TGA, said all available compliance and enforcement tools were being used to address the issue.
“I have written directly to social media and e-commerce platforms, raising the impact and potential consequences of unlawful advertising and sale of unapproved peptide products. We expect platforms to identify and remove unlawful content and take steps to stop it reappearing.
The message is simple. If you are unlawfully importing, manufacturing, advertising or supplying unapproved peptide products, expect the TGA to take action. These products can pose serious risks to Australian consumers, and businesses should not assume they can operate outside Australia’s therapeutic goods framework without consequences.
We are seeing increasing online promotion and supply of these products, and we will use the full range of compliance and enforcement powers available to us.”
Thinking about buying peptide products online
Many peptide products sold through websites, instant messaging applications, social media platforms and overseas suppliers have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness. Consumers may have no way of knowing what they are actually buying, consuming or injecting.
The TGA is increasingly intercepting unlabelled vials at the border, with no identifying information about their contents or origin. This raises serious concerns about how some products are being manufactured, packaged and supplied. Without appropriate quality controls, products may contain the wrong ingredients, be contaminated or fail to meet basic sterility standards, posing significant risks to consumer health and safety.
Professor Robyn Langham, Chief Medical Adviser at the TGA, said unapproved peptide products present significant and unpredictable health risks.
“The health effects can be unpredictable and, in some cases, serious. We are particularly concerned about products purchased online or through social media, where there is often little information about how they were made, what they contain, or the risks they may pose.”
Consumers should speak with a registered health professional before using any therapeutic goods and are encouraged to report suspected unlawful activity or non-compliant advertising to the TGA.
Importing or selling unapproved peptide products
Businesses and individuals involved in the advertising, importation, manufacture, supply or export of unapproved peptide products can expect increased compliance action.
Manufacture includes any step in the manufacturing process, including applying a label to a blank vial, packaging for distribution, and storage of the products before they are in their final state.
Businesses and individuals can also incur financial loss if the product is intercepted at the border and destroyed.
Report a problem
If you experience an adverse event after using a peptide product or any other therapeutic good, report it to the TGA. Reports help identify emerging safety concerns and support action to protect the community.
If you suspect the unlawful advertising, importation, supply, manufacture or export of therapeutic goods, you can report the matter to the TGA through the TGA website: report a perceived breach or questionable practice.
