Jun 26, 2026 – 5.00amDoctors extol their virtues on popular podcasts while social media influencers wax lyrical about their transformative powers, but the evidence that unapproved peptides work is virtually non-existent, and significant harms are stacking up.Six people in Victoria have experienced acute liver toxicity this year after taking an unapproved peptide labelled as Retatrutide, and similar cases are believed to have been reported elsewhere in Australia, the Victorian Department of Health confirmed last week.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles