Australia and New Zealand Regulations

Introduction

As of October 2026, regulators in both countries treat many peptides as prescription medicines and say "research use only" labels don't make a sale legal. Other markets are in the regional regulations overview.

Australian Regulations

TGA Classification

Status under the October 2026 Poisons Standard (state and territory laws give it force):

Schedule	Description	Peptide Examples
Schedule 4	Prescription only	Many peptides
Appendix D, clause 5	Possession without authority illegal	BPC-157, TB-500, CJC-1295, ipamorelin, GHRPs, IGF-1, HGH

Specific Peptide Status

Peptide	Australian Status	Access
BPC-157	S4, Appendix D	No approved product
TB-500	S4, Appendix D	No approved product
Compounded GLP-1s	Banned since 1 October 2024	None

The TGA's April 2026 safety alert names both as unapproved; compounding is generally exempt from registration only for one particular person. Our BPC-157 and TB-500 profiles cover the research.

Import Regulations

Factor	Requirement
Personal import	Australian prescription needed at import
Quantity limits	3 months' supply
Labelling	Unclear vials aren't released
GH, GHRHs, IGF-1	Permit per shipment

Enforcement Reality

The TGA says it is acting on unlawful compounding and advertising. Its alert cites reports of severe allergic reactions needing hospital care.

New Zealand Regulations

Medsafe Classification

BPC-157 was classified as a prescription medicine in 2023. Group entries gazetted in December 2025 now cover its analogues and thymic peptides, including TB-500.

Access

Method	Possibility
Prescription	Possible for some
Import	NZ prescription; 3 months' supply
Research	No approved trials

Medsafe said in May 2026 that "for research purposes only" wording has no legal effect. RNZ reports peptide or SARM parcel seizures rose from 15 in 2022 to 370 in 2025.

Practical Implications

For Australian Residents

Option	Viability
Compounding pharmacy Rx	Possible, under TGA scrutiny
Import	Seized without prescription
Domestic research vendors	Not lawful
Underground	Illegal, risky

For New Zealand Residents

Option	Viability
Medical prescription	Limited options
Import	Very restricted
Alternative approaches	GP advice (Medsafe)

Legal Consequences

Australia

Offense	Potential Penalty
Personal import	Fines, seizure
Commercial import	Criminal charges
Distribution	Significant penalties

New Zealand

Offense	Potential Penalty
Import	Seizure
Distribution	Criminal charges

What to watch next

Poisons Standard editions change during the year. Medsafe's group entries aim to catch new analogues such as NL-BPC-157.