Emergency departments in New South Wales, Australia, recorded 1,180 presentations mentioning unapproved peptide use between July 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026, according to a NSW Health surveillance report published October 17 and announced October 19, 2026.
What changed. Monthly presentations rose from 5 in July 2025 to 217 in September 2026; NSW Health said such visits had previously been very rare. In the report, 833 presentations (71%) mentioned retatrutide only. The most common diagnoses were gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, then heart-related complaints including chest pain, then allergic and medication reactions. About 18% of presentations led to hospital admission, and a quarter involved people aged 16 to 24.
What it means. This is one of the clearest public-health counts so far of harm linked to unapproved peptides. The data come from keyword searches of emergency triage notes, so they record what patients said they used, not what was confirmed in the products.
If you take this or are considering it. NSW Health’s advice applies well beyond Australia. If you are using a peptide nobody prescribed, it says to speak with a qualified health professional before the next dose. Tell any clinician treating you that you use one, particularly before surgery, because it warns serious complications can occur alongside other medicines. Clinicians there have also reported serious illness, including kidney damage and liver injury. Anyone unconscious or struggling to breathe needs emergency help right away, which means 911 in the US. For a dosing mistake or worrying symptoms, US readers can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, day or night.
What has not changed. None of the peptides NSW Health named, including retatrutide, BPC-157, TB-500, GHK-Cu and CJC-1295, is approved in Australia, and retatrutide is not approved in the US either. NSW Health’s Chief Health Officer said a label or purity claim “is not proof of what is inside the product.” The are peptides safe guide covers the risks.