Coroner recommends TGA consider tougher restrictions on peptide use after death of Australian actor Richard Norton
In short:
Actor Richard Norton passed away last year.
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Norton → recommend → Norton
His death is believed to be the first known fatality in Australia triggered by unapproved peptide use.
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death → believe → use
A coroner's report found he suffered a cardiac arrest after injecting CJC1295 and Impamorelin, which had been prescribed to him by a doctor.
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which → find → doctor
The coroner has recommended the TGA consider tougher restrictions on the use of unapproved peptides.
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TGA → recommend → peptides
A coroner has found the death of Australian actor Richard Norton was "triggered by" his injection of unapproved peptides, recommending the medicines regulator consider tougher restrictions.
Mr Norton's death is believed to be the first confirmed fatality in Australia from unapproved peptide use.
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death → find → use
Mr Norton, 75, was an experienced martial artist who had been involved in the film and television industry as an actor, stuntman and instructor.
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who → involve → actor
Coroner David Ryan found the death of Mr Norton in March last year was a result of complications that arose from his use of unapproved peptide products CJC1295 and Impamorelin.
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that → find → products
He collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest after injecting the products which had been prescribed to him by a doctor.
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which → collapse → doctor
In findings delivered on Wednesday, Mr Ryan said Mr Norton, "had been taking amounts of the medication in excess of the dose prescribed by his medical practitioner".
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Norton → deliver → practitioner
The coroner recommended the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) review the therapeutic benefits and safety risks of peptides such as CJC1295 and Ipamorelin and "consider whether further restrictions ought to be imposed on their use".
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restrictions → recommend → use
Doctor prescribed unapproved peptides
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Doctor → prescribe → peptides
Mr Norton was "interested in peptide therapy" and he approached medical practitioner Dr Jerzy Muchnicki, according to the coroner's report.
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he → approach → report
Mr Norton, who had asthma, osteoarthritis and previous bilateral shoulder reconstructions, told Dr Muchnicki he had been previously prescribed peptides by another practitioner to treat symptoms relating to fatigue, reduced physical recovery, shoulder pain and loss of lean muscle mass.
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he → have → mass
The coronial findings noted Dr Muchnicki reviewed Mr Norton's medical history and "discussed in detail what was involved with peptide therapy, including the experimental nature of the treatment".
"They also discussed the potential risks and the lack of other alternative treatment options currently approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)," the coroner wrote.
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coroner → note → Administration
Mr Norton also signed an "Informed Consent Form for Peptide Therapy" outlining the treatment, benefits and risks.
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Norton → sign → treatment
"Dr Muchnicki also arranged a series of blood tests 'to confirm baseline health parameters and assess for any contraindications or underlying conditions that may influence treatment decisions'," the report stated.
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report → arrange → decisions
Mr Norton was prescribed unapproved peptide products CJC1295 and Ipamorelin in injection form which were compounded for him by a licenced compounding pharmacy in Queensland.
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which → prescribe → Queensland
The ABC has contacted Dr Muchnicki for comment.
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ABC → contact → comment
Martial artist taking 'double the dose' of unapproved peptides
In the days before his death Mr Norton reported to Dr Muchnicki that he was "feeling good and the peptide therapy was improving his symptoms".
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therapy → take → symptoms
The coroner noted Mr Norton disclosed to a nurse at Dr Muchnicki's clinic that he had been administering double the prescribed dose of CJC1295 & Ipamorelin.
"
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he → note → CJC1295
The nurse advised Richard that from the following week he ought to only administer the prescribed dose."
Hours after that conversation, Mr Norton became unresponsive after injecting a dose of CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin.
Mr Norton died at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital on March 30, 2025.
Medical board investigation
The coroner's report said the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency received a notification "raising concerns" about Mr Norton's treatment by Dr Muchnicki.
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Agency → advise → Muchnicki
The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) then conducted an investigation which included a report from Clinical Professor Alistair Vickery.
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which → conduct → Vickery
Professor Vickery stated "there is insufficient evidence that CJC1295/Ipamorelin is safe, effective or beneficial for human use".
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Vickery → state → use
He said taking into account Dr Muchnicki's training and experience and the history of written consent obtained from Mr Norton including his prior use of peptides without adverse effects, "the clinical care provided by Dr Muchnicki was at a standard reasonably expected".
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care → say → standard
However, he considered that the notes taken by Dr Muchnicki were "sparse, inadequate and perfunctory" and that his "performance as a medical practitioner was below the standard expected in regards to this issue".
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performance → consider → issue
The board's investigation noted that Dr Muchnicki acknowledged these criticisms, accepted accountability for his actions and apologised for his errors in judgement and lapses in record keeping.
"
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Muchnicki → note → keeping
And expressed sorrow for the impact on Richard and his family," the report stated.
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report → express → Richard
He said he had reflected on the circumstances and was committed to improving his practice and professional standards and had engaged an educator to provide one-on-one education in clinical record keeping and management.
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he → say → keeping
In its decision in July this year the MBA found Dr Muchnicki's practice, "is or may be unsatisfactory" however regulatory action was not warranted.
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action → find → July
He received a caution and conditions were imposed.
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conditions → receive → caution
The coroner's report noted the TGA said various pathways existed which enabled medical practitioners to access unapproved peptides.
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which → note → peptides
In a statement after the coronial finding was handed down, the TGA said it "continues to warn consumers about the risks of unapproved peptides which have not been assessed by the TGA for safety, quality or effectiveness".
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which → hand → safety
The medicines regulator said it had also communicated those risks to health practitioners.
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it → say → practitioners
"We are continuing to assess the risks associated with these products and considering whether further regulatory or other measures may be appropriate," the statement said.
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statement → continue → products
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