Australian coroner calls for peptide review following actor Richard Norton death

A coroner in Victoria, Australia, has called for the Therapeutic Goods Administration to review unapproved peptides following the death of actor Richard Norton, the Guardian reported. Norton, a 75-year-old stuntman and martial artist, went into cardiac arrest in March 2025 after injecting prescribed but unapproved peptides CJC1295 and ipamorelin. Victorian coroner David Ryan found that Norton suffered the cardiac arrest after using the substances. [1]

The death of the Australian actor could lead to tougher restrictions on unapproved peptides, according to the Guardian. Norton was an experienced film industry fight choreographer and stuntman who worked alongside actors such as Chuck Norris. He also served as a bodyguard for music legends including David Bowie. [1]

A coroner is a government or judicial official who conducts or orders an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official role originated in medieval England around 1194 to safeguard royal financial interests before evolving into a death investigation function that spread across common law jurisdictions. [2][4]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, United States Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously moved to loosen restrictions on unapproved peptide injections, bypassing Food and Drug Administration testing safeguards. However, the Victorian coroner is now urging Australian regulators to review the safety and rules surrounding unapproved peptides following the fatal incident involving Norton, according to the Guardian. [1][5]