Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Counterfeit retatrutide hospitalisation, Women’s pain care standard, Vitamin B6 limit rethink

1. 01

   Counterfeit retatrutide linked to vomiting and torn oesophagus

   A patient was hospitalised with uncontrolled vomiting and a torn oesophagus after using a counterfeit weight-loss peptide sold as retatrutide. Testing found no retatrutide, but detected undeclared semaglutide at eight times the level found in products on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. The TGA said retatrutide remains in human clinical trials and has not been approved, warning that products obtained outside trials could be counterfeit and should not be used. It urged consumers not to use unapproved peptide products, particularly those bought online or overseas or supplied in unmarked vials. The regulator is investigating the source of such products and seeking to remove them from the market.

   via RACGP newsGP

2. 02

   Victoria launches standard for equitable assessment of women’s pain

   Victoria has launched a Women’s Pain Standard setting expectations for the assessment and treatment of pain in women, girls and gender diverse people. Its four principles state that patients should be taken seriously and believed, listened to, respected as partners in care, and offered choices and practical support to manage pain. The standard followed a 2024 inquiry involving 13,000 women and girls, in which more than 90% reported pain lasting longer than a year and 54% reported living with pain every day. It also states that pain relief options should be discussed before and during gynaecological procedures, and that patients should expect timely diagnosis, early treatment, ongoing care, and culturally safe and inclusive care that recognises past trauma.

   via RACGP newsGP · also covered by The Medical Republic

3. 03

   NHMRC proposes cutting adult vitamin B6 upper limit to 14 mg

   The NHMRC has proposed reducing the adult daily upper intake level for vitamin B6 from 50 mg to 14 mg amid concerns about peripheral neuropathy from high supplemental intakes. The non-regulatory proposal, based on updated international guidance, is the main change in the first revision of vitamin B6 Nutrient Reference Values since 2006, while recommended daily intakes would remain unchanged. Consultation is open until 30 September, with changes likely to be confirmed in early 2027. The TGA has said it will re-evaluate planned limits if the NHMRC changes the upper level; products with recommended daily doses of 50–200 mg are due to become pharmacist-only from June 2027. Pharmacy data cited in the article showed more than three million products providing over 50 mg daily were sold between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2025.

   via RACGP newsGP

4. 04

   Unintentional overdose deaths peak as toll shifts to older Australians

   Australia recorded 2091 unintentional drug-induced deaths in 2024, the highest number reported, with people aged 50–59 becoming the largest affected age group for the first time. This cohort accounted for 533 deaths, or 25.5% of the total, while almost half occurred among people aged 50 and older. Opioids were involved in 877 deaths, while amphetamine-type stimulants reached a record 772 deaths and heroin a record 488. More than two-thirds of unintentional drug-induced deaths over the five years to 2024 involved at least two drug types. Western Australia had the highest rate at nine deaths per 100,000 people, and the national rate was higher outside capital cities than in metropolitan areas.

   via The Medical Republic

5. 05

   FDA approves apitegromab add-on treatment for spinal muscular atrophy

   The FDA approved apitegromab (Isembyld) for use alongside existing targeted therapies in adults and children aged two years and older with spinal muscular atrophy. The drug blocks myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth, and is the first approved muscle-targeted treatment for the disease. When added to standard therapy, apitegromab significantly improved motor function compared with standard care alone. Prescribing information warned of a possible increased risk of bone fractures, while other treatment-linked adverse effects included upper respiratory tract infections, vomiting, viral infections and headaches. The approval followed an earlier FDA rejection related to problems at a fill-finish manufacturing facility, which Scholar Rock subsequently replaced in its application.

   via BioPharma Dive

6. 06

   Etcamah misses endpoint in first-line advanced breast cancer trial

   Etcamah failed to significantly delay disease progression in people newly diagnosed with advanced ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. In the SERENA-4 trial, an Etcamah-based combination produced a numerical improvement in progression-free survival versus standard treatment, but the difference did not reach statistical significance, AstraZeneca said. The company did not provide specific results and said detailed data would be shared in due course. The oral selective estrogen receptor degrader received accelerated approval earlier this month for first-line use after an ESR1 mutation is detected by an FDA-approved test, while separate trials continue to assess it after surgery.

   via BioPharma Dive

MDDR is a news digest for medical professionals. It is not medical advice and should not be relied on for clinical decision-making.