Peptides
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Some are proven medicines, like insulin, semaglutide and tirzepatide. The injections sold online and in “wellness” clinics for healing, muscle, fat loss and anti-ageing are a different story.
What's approved. Peptide medicines on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods have been checked for safety, quality and effectiveness. They need a prescription and come from a registered pharmacy. See GLP-1 medicines.
What isn't. BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, GHK-Cu injections and retatrutide are not approved in Australia. Most have only been tested in animals or lab dishes. They're often labelled “research use only” or “not for human consumption”, which doesn't make them legal to buy, import or inject. That label is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Why the warnings now. In 2026 the TGA and Australia's Chief Medical Officer warned the public about unapproved peptides, and the Medical Board has acted against doctors over unsafe prescribing. Advertising them to the public is generally illegal, influencer posts included.
The usual suspects
What they promise, and what the evidence actually shows.
- BPC-157Claims: heals gut, tendons and ligaments.
Evidence: mostly rat studies from one research group. An early human trial in ulcerative colitis didn't work. Banned in sport. - TB-500Claims: speeds healing and recovery.
Evidence: a lab-made fragment of a natural protein. No human trials for healing, and what is in the vial is often uncertain. - CJC-1295 and ipamorelinClaims: anti-ageing, muscle and fat loss by raising growth hormone.
Evidence: no good trials for these uses. In October 2026 a Victorian coroner found injections triggered a fatal cardiac arrest in a 75-year-old man taking double his prescribed dose. - GHK-CuClaims: younger skin and hair growth.
Evidence: a copper peptide used in some skin creams, with small cosmetic studies. Injected versions are untested. - RetatrutideClaims: the next big weight-loss jab.
Evidence: a real drug with strong phase 3 trial results in 2026, but not yet approved anywhere. Grey-market vials may be fake, the wrong strength or not sterile.
The risks
- Unknown contents. Wrong dose, wrong ingredient, bacterial contamination or not sterile.
- Reported harms. The TGA has had reports of liver injury, severe allergic reactions needing adrenaline and hospital care, and whole-body inflammation.
- Injection problems. Abscesses and skin infections.
- Missed diagnoses. Months spent injecting for a sore tendon or tiredness can delay finding the real cause.
- Sport. Most are banned at all times under anti-doping rules, and “I didn't know” isn't a defence.
What works instead
- Tendon and joint pain: progressive loading exercise. See tennis elbow and Achilles.
- Weight: approved medicines with real trials behind them. See weight-loss medicines.
- Muscle and ageing well: resistance training, enough protein and sleep. Less exciting, far better evidence.
Already using them?
- Tell your GP. No lecture, and it changes which tests and treatments are safe.
- Keep the vial or packaging and note the batch, dose and where you bought it.
- Report side effects to the TGA, even if you're not sure the peptide caused them.
Call 000 for swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, chest pain or collapse after an injection. See a doctor the same day for fever, a red hot swelling at the injection site, yellow skin or eyes, or dark urine.
Common questions
Are peptides legal in Australia?
Approved peptide medicines such as insulin, semaglutide and tirzepatide are legal with a prescription. BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, GHK-Cu injections and retatrutide are not approved by the TGA. Buying them without a prescription can be unlawful, and a “research use only” label doesn't change that.
Is BPC-157 safe?
Nobody knows. It has never been properly tested for safety in people, and products bought online may not contain what the label says. The TGA has had reports of liver injury and severe allergic reactions with unapproved peptides.
Do peptides help tendons heal?
There's no reliable human evidence that BPC-157 or TB-500 heal tendons. The claims come mostly from rat studies. Progressive loading exercise has much better evidence.
Can a doctor prescribe them?
Doctors can sometimes access unapproved medicines through special pathways, but they must meet strict rules and the professional standards that apply to every doctor. The Medical Board has acted against some doctors for unsafe prescribing.
Are they banned in sport?
Most are. BPC-157 is banned at all times under the World Anti-Doping Code, and peptides that raise growth hormone, such as CJC-1295 and ipamorelin, are banned too.
Is retatrutide the same as Mounjaro?
No. Retatrutide is a newer weight-loss injection still being tested in trials. It isn't approved anywhere yet, so anything sold now comes from an unregulated source.
Helpful resources
- Healthdirect: Peptides, facts versus hypeGovernment health service explainer. Free.
- TGA: Report a side effectReport problems with any medicine or product. Free.
- Sport Integrity Australia: BPC-157Anti-doping status for athletes. Free.
Evidence and more information
- newsGP (April 2026): TGA issues warning against unapproved peptides
- Healthed (July 2026): Peptide use in Australia, what GPs need to know
- ABC News (October 2026): Coroner recommends TGA review peptide restrictions
- HCPLive (July 2026): Retatrutide phase 3 results
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