Health bosses have issued a major alert after an “experimental” drug was linked to several cases of acute liver damage.
Since January this year, six people in Victoria have suffered serious injury to their livers after using the unapproved peptide product, labelled as Retatrutide.
The product is not available in pharmacies in Australia but has been circulated online.
Victoria’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has now issued a warning notice urging people to steer clear of the product after learning of the liver damage cases linked to its use.
The product is normally named Retatrutide, but is also known as Reta, R-10 and R-20.
But the TGA has warned it is yet to be assessed and can carry serious health risks, particularly when they are infected.
“Unapproved peptides, such as Retatrutide, have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness,” the warning states.
“These products, particularly when they are infected, can carry significant health risks, including contamination, infection local tissue damage or potentially life-threatening reaction.
“Further investigation of the contents of these products is under way.”
While the six known cases have all occurred in Victoria, it is believed similar cases may have been reported in other states.
The TGA has urged people to steer clear of the product and encouraged those who may have already purchased them to dispose of them safely and report any symptoms to a medical professional.
People who have purchased the products or have already started using them have been urged to look out for a range of symptoms.
Patients who have already suffered injury as a result of the peptides have suffered from:
• Tiredness or malaise
• Jaundice
• Abdominal pain
• Dark urine
• Abdominal bruising
