Searches up 900%: Google faces influx of illegal peptide ads

Tech giant Google has been hosting dozens of advertisements for synthetic peptides that the company says are in breach of its own policies and Australian laws designed to protect the country from companies pushing unlicensed or prescription-only drugs.

Searches for some peptides have surged up to 900 per cent on Google in the last year. Many of those drugs are appearing as sponsored products,openly flouting Australian laws banning the promotion of medical chemicals.

Among the most commonly promoted products were BPC-157, a prescription-only peptide that backers believe helps muscle growth and recovery, and GHK-CU, an unapproved substance that users say helps with their skin. Neither product can be legally advertised in Australia. Both are riding a wave of social media-driven enthusiasm sweeping the country.

A spokesperson for Google said sponsored search results for products like BPC-157 and GHK-CU breached the company’s ads policy.

“We have strict Google shopping ads policies that prohibit the promotion of unapproved pharmaceutical supplements,” the spokesperson said. “Since BPC-157 and GHK-CU are not approved for use in Australia, we’ve conducted a thorough investigation into these ads and accounts and taken the appropriate action where necessary.”

Under Google’s policy, the company does not allow the promotion of various pharmaceuticals and supplements, including non-government approved or non-prescription products that are marketed in a way that implies they’re safe or effective.

But this masthead confirmed other peptide ads were still live on Google. Google has confirmed it is now reviewing those ads, and it says it is deploying resources to improve enforcement.

The surge in advertising reflects the status of peptides as the latest wellness trend, which has spread across social media and become immensely popular in Australia and globally. Most are either not cleared for human use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, or can’t be sold without a doctor’s prescription.

Google’s own internal data shows just how large that craze has become.

Searches for “peptides” increased 30 per cent in the past year. The increase was even greater for specific products. Searches for Retatrutide, an experimental weight loss drug currently undergoing clinical trials but being freely sold online, increased by 900 per cent. Searches for GHK-CU were up 450 per cent.

Numerous medical experts and policymakers have urged users to exercise caution, pointing to a lack of adequate research into their long-term effects, and the risks of self-injecting with untested, unregulated drugs.

This week, the TGA released a safety alert, saying it had received reports of peptide users experiencing severe inflammation, allergic reactions involving hospitalisation, blurred vision, muscle injuries and insomnia.

An investigation by this masthead found that peptides are readily available online, and that they can be purchased without medical oversight and delivered by post within days. Their ubiquity on Google search indicates that peptide suppliers are spending thousands of dollars on advertising with the platform.

Katinka Van De Ven, an adjunct associate professor at the University of NNSW specialising in drug policy, said one of the biggest unknowns in the peptide debate was the size of the market for these products.

“Even with good pharmaceutical data, we still don’t really know how large the private and illicit peptide market is, which makes it very difficult to respond from a policy or health perspective,” she said.

A TGA spokesperson said the agency monitored online advertising and that it collaborated with digital platforms to disrupt unlawful content. It could not comment on individual cases without proper investigation.

“The TGA is concerned about the growth in peptide sales, import and online marketing, and issued a safety alert on 13 April 2026 detailing health professional responsibilities as well as consumer safety considerations when using unapproved peptide products,” they said.

“Under the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, a person can commit an offence or be liable for a civil penalty if they advertise or cause the advertising of therapeutic goods that do not comply with the requirements in the Act or the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code.”

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