Health Canada warns about unauthorized peptides, including contaminated injectable peptides sold by Sage & Summit Wellness Co. in Ottawa, ON

Health Canada is warning consumers not to inject or consume unauthorized peptide products after lab testing found bacteria (Sphingomonas aquatilis/melonis) in an injectable peptide product seized from Sage & Summit Wellness Co., in Ottawa, ON (451 Preston Street). The seizure followed a consumer complaint that the store had been selling unauthorized peptides in-store and on its website.

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.

Selling unauthorized health products is illegal. Unauthorized health products have not been assessed for safety, efficacy, and quality by Health Canada. Authorized drugs are reviewed by Health Canada and have demonstrated, through clinical trials, they provide the health benefits that they claim.

Some of the seized vials were labelled as “For Research Purposes Only,” which means the product was manufactured for lab use only, not for human use. These products have not been manufactured or tested to meet the quality standards required for health products for human use. This type of labelling also does not make these products legal or exempt from regulatory requirements.

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 take an unauthorized peptide product, 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.

Sage & Summit Wellness Co. agreed to stop selling unauthorized peptide products in-store and on its website as a result of Health Canada's compliance and enforcement actions. Health Canada will continue to seize unauthorized peptide products and disrupt distribution channels to remove these products from the Canadian market. The Department will also continue to work with the Canada Border Services Agency to stop unauthorized peptide shipments from entering the country.