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Actor dies after injecting peptides despite approval from doctors
In March last year, an action actor suddenly died after taking a peptide intended to restore youth and vitality.
Richard Norton, an Australian actor, stuntman, and fight coordinator who has worked with every A-lister you can think of, suffered a cardiac arrest aged 75 after injecting the popular drug.
The veteran actor had worked alongside Chuck Norris and trained Hollywood royalty Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Ben Affleck, Liam Neeson and many more.
Officials claim Norton is the first person to die as a result of peptides in Australia
According to The Daily Mail, his death is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.
Tragically, a coroner’s report released Wednesday reportedly attributed his death to complications involving the unapproved peptide products.
The coroner, David Ryan, noted that although the anti-aging cocktail was prescribed by a physician, Norton had taken “amounts of the medication in excess of the dose prescribed.”
Reportedly, Norton's practitioner, Dr. Jerzy Muchnicki, prescribed him peptides to help treat symptoms of fatigue following a bilateral shoulder reconstruction, after the actor claimed that another physician had prescribed him peptides in the past.
The medical professional prescribed two unapproved peptides that work together to stimulate the body’s natural production of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1, called CJC-1295 and ipamorelin.
While the combination of the two drugs is known to promote muscle growth, support fat loss, and speed up recovery after intense exercise or injury, it is also used cosmetically to boost collagen production and counter age-related aesthetic issues.
Terrifyingly, there has been little research into peptides; large-scale, long-term human studies determining their safety are few and far between, meaning their potential dangers are widely unknown.
The physician did not overprescribe the peptides, a coroner rules
In his findings, Ryan wrote: “Dr. Muchnicki discussed in detail what was involved with peptide therapy, including the experimental nature of the treatment."
He also established that Norton did undergo a series of medical tests to check for any underlying conditions or potential contraindications that could impact how he reacted to the experimental injections.
Ryan added: “They also discussed the potential risks and the lack of other alternative treatment options currently approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.”
Worryingly, neither CJC-1295 nor ipamorelin is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for medical treatments.
According to The Guardian, Norton signed a consent form outlining the treatment’s potential risks, including anaphylaxis, before receiving a prescription for injectable CJC-1295 and ipamorelin on March 19, 2025.
While the actor told his care team that peptide therapy seemed to be working by easing his symptoms, less than ten days after he was first prescribed the drug, he admitted he was taking double the recommended dose.
Just hours after revealing his grave mistake to a nurse, Norton injected the peptides, which immediately made him feel hot and flushed before losing consciousness.
He was swiftly rushed to hospital but died shortly after.