Public Advisory – Health Canada warns about contaminated unauthorized injectable peptides and non-peptide drugs
OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 6, 2026 /CNW/ —
Summary
- Product: Unauthorized injectable peptide and non-peptide drugs
- Issue: Health products – unauthorized products; Contamination
- What to do: Do not buy or use these products. If you have used them and develop a fever or pain and swelling at the injection site or you feel unwell, seek immediate medical attention. Only buy prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies. Check labels: authorized drugs for sale in Canada have an 8-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) printed on the label.
Affected products
The following products are examples of unauthorized injectable peptide and non-peptide drugs sold online by Shanghai ERP Peptide Biotechnology Co., Ltd.:
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
- MOTS-C
- NAD+
- Retatrutide
- Tesamorelin
- Tirzepatide
Issue
Health Canada is warning consumers not to use or inject unauthorized peptides after lab testing found bacteria in products sold online. Injecting contaminated products can cause serious infections, hospitalization, and in severe cases, life-threatening sepsis. The risk of infection is higher in people with a compromised immune system.
In Canada, injectable peptides are generally regulated as prescription drugs. Authorized peptide drugs should only be used under the care of a licensed healthcare professional, such as a doctor, to treat specific conditions.
Health Canada seized and tested unauthorized injectable peptides from Shanghai ERP Peptide Biotechnology Co. Ltd. (ERP Peptide) and found bacteria such as Acinetobacter seifertii, Acinetobacter nosocomialis, and Propionibacterium (Cutibacterium) acnes.
The Department identified two Canadian online retailers (truenorthbiolabs.ca and bcaxiompeptide.com) selling products from ERP Peptide. Health Canada obtained court-issued entry warrants, seized unauthorized drug products from the two retailers, and – as a result of compliance and enforcement action – the websites are no longer active.
In total, Health Canada seized over 11,400 vials from ERP Peptide and the two online retailers.
Selling unauthorized drug products is illegal. Unauthorized products have not been assessed for safety, efficacy, and quality by Health Canada. They have not been demonstrated, through scientific trials, to provide the health benefits that they claim.
While unauthorized peptides are often promoted for weight loss, muscle growth, anti-aging, or wellness, they may expose you to significant and unpredictable health risks.
If you inject yourself with an unauthorized peptide drug, you risk hormonal imbalance, mood swings, blood sugar imbalance, liver or kidney damage, blood clots, and growth of cancerous tumours.
You also risk safety, quality and sterility concerns because there is no way of knowing what is in the product or how it was made. It may:
- contain too much, too little, or none of the active ingredient
- contain unlisted, dangerous or unknown ingredients
- contain contaminants, such as solvents, heavy metals, particles (fibers, glass, plastic), or microbials (bacteria, fungi, endotoxins)
- be poorly or incorrectly labelled
- be improperly manufactured, transported or stored
- lead to allergic reactions, interactions with other medications or other serious complications.
Health Canada will continue to take enforcement action, including product seizures, testing and disrupting distribution channels, to remove these products from the Canadian market and protect Canadians from preventable harm.
The Department has requested ERP Peptide to immediately stop selling illegal peptides into Canada and is also working with the Canada Border Services Agency to stop unauthorized shipments from entering the country.
What you should do
- If you have used an unauthorized injectable peptide drug and develop symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain at the injection site, fever, chills or you feel unwell, seek medical attention immediately, as these may be signs of a serious infection.
- Do not buy or use unauthorized drugs. Authorized prescription drugs in Canada have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the label. You can also check whether a drug has been authorized for sale by searching Health Canada’s Drug Product Database.
- Do not use drugs that are labelled “For Research Use Only – Not for Human Consumption”. These are intended for lab use, not human consumption and can be dangerous to your health.
- Only use prescription drugs prescribed to you under the care of a licensed healthcare professional, and only buy prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies. Be aware of the risks of buying health products online.
- Dispose of unauthorized peptide drugs by following municipal or regional guidance for chemicals and other hazardous waste or take the product to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
- Report any health product-related side effects or complaints to Health Canada. Your reports help identify potentially dangerous products and protect others from harm.
- Visit Health Canada’s Webpage on Peptides to learn more about peptides, their health risks, and steps you can take to protect yourself.
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SOURCE Health Canada (HC)
