![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/63325da17b2f7575803d8da983cba874.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAnother black market peptide user has suffered a severe liver injury, with doctors concerned a possible “contaminated batch” might be to blame.<\/p>\n
The latest case means seven Victorian patients have now been hospitalised for acute liver toxicity, after using a counterfeit of the weight loss peptide retatrutide.<\/p>\n
Liver transplant specialist Marie Sinclair, who has treated liver failure patients in Victoria, said another patient had recently become seriously unwell after taking an unapproved peptide labelled as retatrutide.<\/p>\n
“We have seen a recent case again, fairly similar to previous cases, where after a second dose of unregulated retatrutide there was severe liver injury,” Dr Sinclair said.<\/p>\n
“It’s uncertain as to why this has happened, but one possibility is that there could be a contaminated batch of [counterfeit] retatrutide that is in Victoria.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Doctors warn use of any black-market peptides could cause serious harm. (Supplied)<\/p>\n
“It’s one possible explanation \u2026 we don’t have any testing results to support that, it’s purely a hypothesis at this stage.”<\/p>\n
Dr Sinclair said she had commissioned testing of counterfeit peptides used by liver failure patients.<\/p>\n
“This is something I think we are going to continue to see with peptides if the unregulated market continues,” she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Sinclair said the affected patients sustained liver injuries “within a few weeks” of taking the black market retatrutide.<\/p>\n
“They may become yellow or jaundiced, which is very frightening for patients, and they can become very unwell,” she said.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8800969695cf417807a614014384046c.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Marie Sinclair says the retatrutide being sold is not currently the same one in clinical trials. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
The Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) chief medical advisor Robyn Langham told the ABC “the localised nature” of the liver issues in Victoria suggested “a batch problem”.<\/p>\n
“We are seeing reports of acute liver failure which might be related to some batch issues certainly from Victoria,” Professor Langham said.<\/p>\n
Patients in liver failure after using knock-off weight loss drug <\/a><\/p>\n Megan Hancocks bought a drug labelled as the peptide compound retatrutide in cash from a beautician. Within a week of her second dose, she was in acute liver failure.<\/p>\n She said the cluster of liver harm cases did not appear to be happening elsewhere in Australia.<\/p>\n Professor Langham warned consumers black market retatrutide was a “counterfeit product” and taking it was a risk.<\/p>\n “The retatrutide that’s being sold is not the retatrutide that’s currently in clinical trials,” she said.<\/p>\n Professor Langham said her comments were not the result of an investigation.<\/p>\n Robyn Langham says the localised nature of the hospitalisations suggests a “batch problem”. (Four Corners: Keana Naughton)<\/p>\n Peptides are small chains of amino acids which act as signalling agents in the body, telling it to carry out certain processes such as hormone release or tissue repair.<\/p>\n There are regulated peptide medications including insulin and GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic.<\/p>\n This year there has been a boom in social media promotion of counterfeit, unapproved peptides, which are not safe for human use.<\/p>\n Victoria’s health department has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/c4aab4507b25d580e0421f38b97ee0f7.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n