Are peptides legal in Australia?

How the rules work

Two layers apply. The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 governs what may be supplied: a therapeutic good must be on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) unless an exemption applies. Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are registered. BPC-157, TB-500, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, AOD-9604, MOTS-c and the other research-market peptides are not, which makes them "unapproved" goods.

The Poisons Standard and state law then govern who may possess them. Peptides of this kind are scheduled as Schedule 4 — prescription-only — and under New South Wales law BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295 and ipamorelin are named "prescribed restricted substances". Possession without a prescription and supply without authority are offences with fines and, for supply, up to two years' imprisonment at state level; Commonwealth importation offences carry up to five years.

The legal route is narrow but real: a medical practitioner may prescribe an unapproved peptide, and a pharmacist may compound it for that named patient. Two things closed in 2024–2026. From 1 October 2024 the TGA removed the exemption that allowed pharmacies to compound GLP-1 receptor agonists, ending compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide. And on 13 April 2026 the TGA published a safety advisory on "a sharp rise" in importing, supplying, compounding and advertising of unapproved peptides — naming BPC-157, GHK-Cu, TB-500, retatrutide and CJC-1295 — reminding practitioners that the Personal Importation Scheme does not cover clinic supply, and issuing infringement notices to practitioners who imported without approval.

Buying and importing for personal use

Under the Personal Importation Scheme an individual may import up to three months' supply of a medicine for their own use or an immediate family member's, not more than fifteen months' supply in a year, and — because these are Schedule 4 substances — only with a valid Australian prescription at the time of import. The TGA has said that unapproved peptide products that are not clearly labelled cannot be assessed for lawful importation and are seized.

"Research use only" labels give no protection. Supply includes offering to sell and giving away for free, and a social-media post offering peptides can be an offence in itself. Prescription-only medicines cannot be advertised to the public. Athletes have a further layer: Sport Integrity Australia lists BPC-157, CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MOTS-c and TB-500 as prohibited in sport, and a therapeutic-use exemption is unlikely for an unregistered medicine.

Compound by compound

What changed, and when

1. 1 Oct 2024TGA ends the compounding exemption for GLP-1 receptor agonists; compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide become unlawful.
2. 13 Apr 2026TGA safety advisory on unapproved peptide products: importing, compounding, supply and advertising responsibilities; infringement notices to practitioners.

Questions

Sources

1. 1
   TGA — Understanding your responsibilities when importing, compounding and supplying unapproved peptide products (safety advisory, 13 April 2026)tga.gov.au
2. 2
   TGA — Warning on the risks of importing unapproved peptide productstga.gov.au
3. 3
   TGA — Unapproved peptide product promoters and suppliers are put on noticetga.gov.au
4. 4
   Law Society Journal — Injectable peptides: where does the law stand?lsj.com.au
5. 5
   Sport Integrity Australia — Peptides explainedsportintegrity.gov.au

LYO summarises the law for research and educational purposes. It is not legal advice; rules change and enforcement varies. Corrections through the contact page.