Aussie actor's death linked to unapproved peptides

An Australian stuntman, Richard Norton, died in March 2025 after injecting unapproved peptides, according to findings by Victorian Coroner David Ryan. Norton, 75, was a film industry veteran who also served as a bodyguard for music legends. He went into cardiac arrest after injecting CJC1295 and Ipamorelin, peptides that were prescribed to him by a doctor but not approved by regulatory authorities.

The coroner recommended the Therapeutic Goods Administration review the therapeutic benefits and safety risks of these peptides, potentially moving them from schedule 4 prescription-only drugs to schedule 10, limiting their use to clinical trials or experimental purposes. Norton's doctor, Dr Jerzy Muchnicki, was investigated by the Medical Board of Australia, which found his practice of prescribing the peptides to be inadequate and lacking in clinical evidence supporting their safety and effectiveness.

The board deemed regulatory action not warranted but ordered Muchnicki to undergo training for clinical record keeping and management. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has warned consumers about the risks of importing and using unapproved peptides, often promoted online for weight loss, muscle growth, anti-ageing, recovery, and performance enhancement.