Emergency department visits linked to unapproved injectable peptides have surged in New South Wales, ABC News and The Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing new NSW Health data.

The data show 1,180 emergency presentations linked to unapproved peptides between July 2025 and September 2026, ABC News and The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Monthly visits rose from five in July 2025 to more than 217 in September 2026, according to NSW Health and the Herald. ABC News rounded the September figure to almost 220.

The products are promoted on social media for weight loss, muscle growth and anti-aging, ABC News and The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Harms include liver damage and allergic reactions, ABC News and the Herald reported.

"People can get very unwell, very quickly as a result of these products," NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said, ABC News reported. He urged people to use only peptides prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy, ABC News reported.

Some patients needed care under a liver transplant service, the medical director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre said, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. "It almost becomes a game of Russian roulette," he said. People aged 25 to 34 made up 32% of the visits, the Herald reported, and the real number is likely higher because the data only capture patients who disclosed peptide use.

Dr Tim Jones of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said, "It does look like there's been irreversible damage for people who will not come back from the health harm they've endured," ABC News reported. He said he had seen people as young as 14 ordering peptides online and feared the figures were the "tip of the iceberg," ABC News reported.

What we know: NSW Health data show 1,180 emergency visits linked to unapproved peptides from July 2025 to September 2026, with monthly visits rising sharply.
What we don't: How many patients suffered lasting harm, and what steps health ministers may take next.