Australian regulator warns of counterfeit peptides after patient tears oesophagus

The short version

• Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration issued a warning after a patient tore their oesophagus from severe vomiting linked to a counterfeit peptide.[The Guardian]
• Regulator testing revealed the product contained eight times the approved dose of semaglutide rather than the unapproved drug retatrutide.[The Guardian]
• Retatrutide remains unapproved in Australia and abroad, following earlier warnings over liver toxicity cases tied to similar products.[The Guardian]
• Officials caution that unapproved and imported substances lack standard quality controls and present severe health risks.[The Guardian]

Key facts

• A patient suffered a torn oesophagus and required hospital treatment after severe vomiting caused by taking a suspected retatrutide product.[The Guardian]
• Testing by the Therapeutic Goods Administration found no retatrutide in the sample, detecting semaglutide at approximately eight times the approved level instead.[The Guardian]
• Retatrutide is not approved for supply or prescription in Australia or by foreign regulators.[The Guardian]
• The Victorian health department recorded six cases of acute liver toxicity linked to items labelled as retatrutide in June.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Peptide user tore oesophagus after using counterfeit product, Australian regulator warnsThe Guardian - World