Health Canada granted injunction over unauthorized peptide retailer sales

Health Canada has been granted a permanent injunction against Quebec-based online retailer Canlab Research, preventing the company from selling unauthorized injectable peptides in Canada.

The agency states that Canlab Research had been “selling unauthorized peptide drugs on various websites and promoting them with many unproven health claims, despite repeated enforcement actions by Health Canada.”

That comes after consumers were urged not to buy unauthorized injectable peptides from Canlab Research in December 2023 due to the “serious health risks posed by these products” and after a ministerial order “directing the company to cease advertising and selling unauthorized health products because of the health risks to Canadians,” Health Canada stated in a news release on Wednesday.

“Under the injunction, Canlab Research and its representatives cannot manufacture, test, distribute or sell unauthorized injectable peptides, nor can it assist others in doing the same. It also cannot advertise or assist others in advertising these products, including through any website or social media platform accessible with a Canadian Internet Protocol (IP) address.”

Peptide drugs affect the body’s functions and are often used for bodybuilding, anti-aging, or enhancing athletic performance. Currently, injectable peptides are regulated as prescription drugs in Canada and must be authorized by Health Canada before they can be sold.

The agency put out a warning to Canadian consumers in April to think twice before injecting peptides bought online, stating that the products can “change how your body works and are often promoted online and on social media for ‘anti-aging, weight loss, bodybuilding, athletic performance, injury recovery, sleep, mental focus, or general wellness.'”

Risks to taking unauthorized peptides can range from “hormonal imbalance, mood swings, blood sugar imbalance, liver or kidney damage, blood clots, and growth of cancerous tumours,” according to the agency.

Authorized prescription drugs in Canada have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the label. Consumers can also check if a drug has been authorized for sale by searching Health Canada’s Drug Product Database.