Needle exchange rations syringes amid surge in Kiwis injecting unapproved peptides
A surge in people injecting unapproved peptides, often purchased online for weight loss or cosmetic purposes, is putting pressure on needle exchanges and disrupting treatment for high-risk clients.
The number of people buying 1ml insulin needles through the NZ needle exchange programme’s online shop has more than quadrupled in the past year.
From January to June 2025, a total of 26,731 needles were purchased online through the scheme. In the same six months this year, 141,523 needles were purchased.
The massive increase has led to needle exchange services having to sometimes ration supplies, such as limiting clients to 6-10 syringes.
The spike comes as the Ministry of Health warns of a “guinea pig culture” with dire consequences, as a growing number of people purchase unapproved injectable drugs online without a clear understanding of what’s in them.
A ministry briefing to Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, obtained by Newstalk ZB under the Official Information Act, warns that injectables known as peptides carry significant health risks.
“Peptides purport anti-ageing, longevity, muscle-building, and tanning effects and are promoted via social media. Many of these new products are injectable unapproved medicines that are purchased and imported without a prescription or medical oversight,” officials said.
Legitimate peptide use includes prescribed Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, used for weight loss and treating diabetes, though illicit, unapproved medicines are able to be purchased online, purporting similar effects.
“Short-term harm includes injecting related injuries, bacterial contamination and acute health harms from inappropriate dosages. Over the longer term there are concerns of heavy metal poisoning, triggering of eating disorders, poor mental health, and cumulative harms from prolonged use,” the briefing said.
Officials said purity is unknown and may be contaminated and dosing guidance is unverified.
“This creates a ‘guinea pig culture’ where people experiment on themselves without medical oversight,” the agency warned.
Officials said overseas testing identified contamination with heavy metals and microbes, including mould. “Contaminants such as heavy metals can cause serious long-term damage to the brain and heart and increase the risk of other disease, including cancers,” officials said.
Officials said the rise in unapproved peptide use is causing pressure on health and harm reduction services, including needle exchanges which report “around a doubling in clients and almost ten-fold increase in demand for peptide specific injecting equipment through the online store in the past year”.
“This is putting pressure on equipment supply and disrupting the services for traditional, high-risk intravenous [IV] clients,” the health agency said.
Professor of policy and health Chris Wilkins, leader of the drug research team at SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, said the main concern was products being manufactured without clear regulatory oversight.
“Labelling is often incorrect, or it doesn’t include ingredients.
“People don’t know what they’re actually getting. They can’t rely on the advertising that might be online or the text message they get, and then they’re taking the further step of injecting these things into themselves. They’ve got an unknown substance that potentially can be harmful. It could have bacteria or be badly manufactured, and then injection introduces a new layer of risk.”
Wilkins said many peptides are sold primarily through social media as a lifestyle or image-enhancing culture, rather than as recreational drug use.
“It can also overlap with a lot of issues about social media and young people and being safe online. This trend is basically preying on existing problems around body image and eating disorders. It can be a really insidious problem that might be a lot larger than we think.”
Drug researcher Dr Robin van der Sanden said the issue of peptides is akin to “playing Russian roulette a little bit with your health every time”.
Van der Sanden said peptides such as Retatrutide, known colloquially as Reta, have become particularly popular.
The researcher said specific public health alerts had to be issued in Australia over particular batches of Retatrutide due to high dosing leading to people presenting in ED with acute liver damage.
University of Auckland Professor Clare Wall said unapproved peptide products being sold direct-to-consumer have not undergone specific medical testing.
“There’s no quality control, there’s very little understanding around the regulatory frameworks that they’re using.
“They could have short- or long-term side effects; they could also interact with other medications that people might be taking.”
Wall said products may “seem quite attractive” to people with pre-existing body image issues, and peptides can be seen as an alternative route for those who are unable to afford prescription medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy.
Health agencies recently launched peptide-specific harm-reduction kits in response to increased demand for needles.
Health New Zealand maternity, child, youth and prevention director Deborah Woodley said the increase in demand for needle exchange providers specifically relates to peptide injecting equipment and for some front-line sites, there is an increase of up to 30% in clients seeking this equipment.
“We are aware that peptides are increasingly being promoted online for purposes such as weight loss, muscle building, anti-ageing, and tanning.”
In response, the agency introduced kits with syringes, needles, alcohol preparation pads, a returns container, and information about the risks associated with peptide use through participating needle exchange pharmacies.
The briefing noted Medsafe had been working with Customs to intercept unapproved peptide imports at the border, to take down websites selling peptides based in New Zealand and issuing alerts on unapproved products.
Officials advised that eating disorder groups are anticipating increased demand for their services. The briefing said weight loss was a common motivation for unapproved peptide use and noted reduced food intake can cause health issues similar to those seen in restrictive eating disorders like anorexia nervosa.
“Potential impacts include impaired immune function, cardiovascular instability, electrolyte imbalance, bone loss, gastrointestinal problems, poor wound healing, and cognitive decline,” officials said.
The harms of social media were also referenced in the briefing as playing a “key role” in promoting unapproved peptides through influencers - specifically in the areas of wellness, beauty and fitness.
“Appearance-focused trends [e.g. ‘looksmaxxing’, ‘bio-hacking’, ‘biooptimisation’] further amplify this. Platform algorithms can rapidly intensify exposure as individuals engage with weight-loss, fitness, or appearance-related content, particularly affecting adolescents and other vulnerable groups,” officials added.
Eating Disorder Association of New Zealand chair Andrea Bonetto said it was “very scary” to see the rise in peptide use.
“This may trigger eating disorder behaviours or a full-blown eating disorder.”
Bonetto encouraged people needing support to reach out for help.
Dr Meg Vardy from JourneyED, an eating disorder support charity, told Newstalk ZB that accessing medications via the internet without a prescription is “not a safe context”.
Vardy warned people with poor body image, or those recovering from eating disorders, could be triggered by the “push” towards peptides.
“The eating disorder sector needs support to prepare ourselves for what’s coming,” Vardy said, calling for more resources, upskilling for staff, awareness, and increased funding.
“I have really grave concerns for what this will mean for us in the future and our relationship with food.”
Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.
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