Over 1,000 NSW emergency visits linked to unapproved peptides
1,180 people presented to NSW emergency departments due to unapproved peptides in 15 months, with one in five admitted to hospital.
NSW Health found unapproved peptides sent 1,180 people to emergency departments between July 2025 and September 2026. Cases jumped from five in July 2025 to 217 by September 2026.
Almost one in five were sick enough to need hospital admission. Children as young as 12 are using these substances.
They are promoted online for weight loss, anti-ageing, pain relief and tanning. The dangers include severe vomiting, abdominal pain, infection leading to sepsis, hepatitis and pancreatitis, according to the NSW Poisons Information Centre director.
These products are not tested or approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. They may contain wrong or harmful ingredients.
Police charged two men, including former NRL player Trent Merrin, over an alleged clandestine peptide lab in Shell Cove. Victorian authorities found that actor Richard Norton's death from cardiac arrest in October was triggered by his use of unapproved peptides.
Why it mattersUnapproved peptides pose serious health risks, yet they continue to proliferate online and are now straining hospital emergency departments.
AustraliaAustralians, including young people, face growing health dangers from unregulated peptides available through social media and online forums.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
