Overview
- Victoria’s chief health officer said on Friday six people have been confirmed with acute liver toxicity after injecting a product labelled as Retatrutide.
- Health authorities list symptoms such as extreme tiredness, abdominal pain, jaundice and dark urine and urge anyone who used the products to seek immediate medical care or call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre.
- The pills and vials are sold on online platforms and social media under names including Retatrutide, Reta, R‑10 and R‑20 and have not been assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for safety, quality or effectiveness.
- Officials suspect toxic effects may come from contaminants or wrong composition in black‑market batches and the TGA has made illegal peptides a compliance priority while laboratory analysis and enforcement planning continue.
- Doctors report severe, lasting harm in some patients, including months in hospital and near‑transplant liver failure, and authorities warn social media promotion is widening use and may spread cases beyond Victoria.