Health watchdog takes online supplier of bodybuilding supplements to court

The Commonwealth has taken legal action against an online supplier of peptides and other restricted bodybuilding drugs, alleging it has caused "serious harm" to the health of consumers. The Department alleges the New South Wales registered private company that operates the website Peptide Clinics Australia has been: Advertising prescription only substances such as peptides and SARMs Advertising prescription only substances such as peptides and SARMs Claiming its products can heal serious bone and joint-inflammation diseases as well as treat anxiety, depression, and cure or prevent mental illness Claiming its products can heal serious bone and joint-inflammation diseases as well as treat anxiety, depression, and cure or prevent mental illness Misleading consumers through advertising potentially harmful products as 'safe' Misleading consumers through advertising potentially harmful products as 'safe' Encouraging inappropriate use of products for anti-aging, bodybuilding, fat loss, female sexual dysfunction, hair loss, injury repair, sex drive, premature ejaculation, and skin tanning Encouraging inappropriate use of products for anti-aging, bodybuilding, fat loss, female sexual dysfunction, hair loss, injury repair, sex drive, premature ejaculation, and skin tanning Promoting peptides to consumers through references to inaccurate, imbalanced and misleading scientific information, such as a claim that many sunscreens contribute to the development of skin cancer The Department is seeking to have the company fined - each breach of the relevant legislation is a fine of up to $6,300 - and get the company to take its ads down. The Department sought an interim injunction, and, in a subsequent statement, said Peptide Clinics Pty Ltd has given an undertaking to remove relevant the ads from its website pending the final hearing of the matter. The statement of claim lists 18 prescription-only substances being advertised on the Peptide Clinics website, including: Melanotan II Melanotan II Follistatin Follistatin Growth hormone-releasing peptides Growth hormone-releasing peptides Insulin-like growth factors Insulin-like growth factors Minoxidil Minoxidil SARM S-22 SARM S-22 Finasteride Finasteride Oxytocin Oxytocin CJC-1295 Some of these substances were advertised only on a restricted part of the website, while others were spruiked on social media, the Department alleges.