Health Canada says tests on more than 11,400 vials of unauthorized injectable peptides seized from online retailers found bacteria capable of causing serious infections.
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Health Canada says it found bacteria capable of causing serious infections in tests on more than 11,400 vials of unauthorized injectable peptides seized from online retailers.
The federal health agency says the products were injectable peptides from Shanghai ERP Peptide Biotechnology Co. Ltd., a China-based wholesaler of peptide products, and were sold by two Canadian retailers: truenorthbiolabs.ca and bcaxiompeptide.com.
In its statement, Health Canada said that while unauthorized peptides are often promoted for “weight loss, muscle growth, anti-aging, or wellness,” they may expose people to “significant and unpredictable health risks.”
Health Canada warned that injecting contaminated products can cause serious infections, hospitalization and, in severe cases, life-threatening sepsis, adding that “the risk of infection is higher in people with a compromised immune system.”
The agency said people who have used an unauthorized injectable peptide and develop symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain at the injection site, fever, chills, or feel unwell should seek medical attention immediately, noting these can be signs of a serious infection.
As part of compliance and enforcement action, Health Canada says the two websites have been shut down and it has requested that ERP Peptide stop selling illegal peptides into Canada while the Canada Border Services Agency stops unauthorized shipments from entering the country.
Health Canada said authorized prescription drugs in Canada have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the label, and that people can check whether a drug has been authorized for sale by searching the agency’s Drug Product Database.
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