Rules

Peptides and the rules, in short

Which rules apply to a peptide depends mostly on how it is used. A peptide in a skin cream follows the rules for cosmetics, a peptide in a powder or capsule follows the rules for supplements, and a peptide that is injected counts as a medicine.^[1] The same substance can therefore fall under different rules in different products. Once you know which group a product belongs to, it is easy to see what applies.

Four groups, four routes

Approved medicines

Semaglutide and tirzepatide are approved medicines. They have been tested in large studies with thousands of participants, and a doctor can prescribe them.^[2][3] You collect them from a pharmacy or order them from an approved Norwegian online pharmacy, and your doctor follows you up along the way.

Medicines in clinical trials

Retatrutide is in the final phase of clinical trials, with large studies in humans.^[4] Medicines like this can be submitted for approval once the studies are complete. Until then, they are given to the people taking part in the trials.

Skincare and supplements

GHK-Cu is listed in the EU database of permitted cosmetic ingredients, under the name copper tripeptide-1.^[5] You can buy skincare products in shops and online, like other skincare and health food products.

Research compounds

Peptides such as BPC-157, TB-500 and MOTS-c are exciting research compounds with promising results in the laboratory and in animals. Many of today's medicines started exactly there. We explain how they are classified, and what may come next, in Rules in Norway.

Do you compete in sport?

Athletes also follow the WADA list. Many peptides fit well with sport, such as GHK-Cu in skincare and approved medicines like semaglutide and tirzepatide.^[6] On the anti-doping page you can see how each peptide we cover fits with sport, and where to ask if you are unsure.

How we keep the rules up to date

We check the rules against the Norwegian Medical Products Agency (DMP), Anti-Doping Norway and WADA, and show the date we last checked. WADA publishes a new list every year, and we review the pages when it comes out.