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Peptide laws in the European Union

Last updated: October 3, 2026 · 5 min read · By the Grey Peptides Editorial Board

The European Parliament building in Brussels with EU flags
Photo by Leonardo Barucci on Pexels
Grey Peptides
Grey Peptides Editorial Board
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Key takeaways
  • EU medicines are authorised either centrally, on the European Medicines Agency's opinion, or by national agencies; enforcement against illegal products is national.
  • Approved peptide drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are centrally authorised prescription medicines; research peptides such as BPC-157 have no central authorisation.
  • In September 2025 the EMA and national agencies warned of a sharp rise in illegal GLP-1 products sold online.
  • Rules on possession, importing and online sales differ by member state; see the country pages for France and Germany.

How the EU authorises peptide medicines

The European Union has two routes to a marketing authorisation. The centralised procedure gives one authorisation valid in every member state, granted by the European Commission on the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) scientific opinion; many modern peptide drugs, including the GLP-1 receptor agonists, go this way. Other medicines are authorised nationally, by each country's own agency. Policing illegal medicines, prescription rules and online pharmacy rules sit largely with national authorities 1.

Our tracker records whether each peptide is in EMA's register of centrally authorised medicines; national authorisations are not covered by that source, so a 'not centrally authorised' result does not prove a product is unavailable everywhere in the EU 2.

Which peptides are centrally authorised

PeptideStatusWhat the register shows
SemaglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Kayshild, Kyinsu, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
TirzepatideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Mounjaro. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
LiraglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Ablymico, Liraglutide STADA, Saxenda, Victoza, Xultophy. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
DulaglutideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Trulicity. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
SomatropinCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: NutropinAq, Omnitrope, Skytrofa (previously Lonapegsomatropin Ascendis Pharma). National authorisations are not covered by this source.
TeriparatideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Forsteo, Kauliv, Livogiva, Movymia, Sondelbay, Teriparatide Sun, Terrosa, Yorvipath, Zandoriah. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
OctreotideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Oczyesa. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
LeuprolideCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Camcevi. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
IGF-1 (mecasermin)Centrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Increlex. National authorisations are not covered by this source.
hCGCentrally authorisedCentrally authorised in the EU: Ovitrelle. National authorisations are not covered by this source.

The other 34 peptides in our regulatory tracker had no authorised product in the same source when read (latest read 2026-10-03): BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Emideltide (DSIP), Semax, Epitalon, GHK-Cu (injectable), Melanotan II, Cathelicidin (LL-37), Dihexa, PEG-MGF, Exenatide, Orforglipron, Tesamorelin, Bremelanotide (PT-141), SS-31 (elamipretide), Retatrutide, CagriSema, Survodutide, Selank, Noopept, Cerebrolysin, Thymosin α-1, Thymopentin, GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, Sermorelin, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, MK-677 (ibutamoren), AOD-9604, Tesofensine. Our Legal Status Checker shows each one with its source link.

The 2025 EMA warning on illegal GLP-1s

On September 3, 2025, EMA and the Heads of Medicines Agencies warned the public about a sharp rise in illegal medicines advertised and sold online as GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide, for weight loss and diabetes. They stressed that GLP-1 receptor agonists are prescription medicines for serious conditions, that the online sale of prescription-only medicines is not allowed in all member states, and that people should obtain prescription medicines through a qualified healthcare professional and a licensed pharmacy. They pointed to the EU's common logo, which appears on the websites of all registered online pharmacies and retailers, as a way to identify legitimate sellers 1. Austria's agency, relaying the warning, said the medicines agencies had identified hundreds of fake Facebook profiles, adverts and e-commerce offers, many hosted outside the EU 3.

EMA had earlier alerted patients and health professionals to pre-filled pens falsely labelled as Ozempic found at wholesalers in the EU and the UK, while noting no evidence that any had been dispensed from legal pharmacies 4.

Research peptides in the EU

Peptides such as BPC-157, TB-500, ipamorelin and GHK-Cu for injection have no central EU authorisation in our tracker 2. How a member state treats them depends on national law and on how they are presented: France's medicines agency, for example, warned in July 2026 against peptides sold online, naming retatrutide, TB-500, GHK-Cu and BPC-157 among products that had been neither evaluated nor authorised 5. Germany adds a criminal layer for some growth hormone peptides through its Anti-Doping Act 6. Our France and Germany pages cover each.

Importing and buying online

EU rules make the common logo the marker of a legal online pharmacy, and EMA notes that not every member state permits online sale of prescription-only medicines 1. Buying a prescription peptide from a website without the logo, or from social media, is the route EMA warned against. For travellers, each country sets its own rules on carrying medicines; our travel guide covers the basics.

Sport

Athletes across the EU follow the WADA Prohibited List through national anti-doping organisations. BPC-157 is prohibited under S0, and growth hormone secretagogues and releasing peptides are named under S2.2.4 2. Our WADA hub lists each peptide.

Questions to check

  • Is the medicine authorised centrally (check EMA) or in my country (check the national agency)?
  • Does the online pharmacy display the EU common logo, and is it on my national register?
  • Does my country allow online sale of prescription-only medicines?
  • Am I subject to anti-doping rules?

The bottom line

In the EU, approved peptide drugs are prescription medicines authorised centrally or nationally, and research peptides have no EU authorisation. EMA and national agencies warned in 2025 about a surge of illegal GLP-1 products online, and enforcement against unauthorised peptides happens country by country, with France and Germany among those acting in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Are peptides legal in the EU?

Authorised peptide medicines are legal on prescription. Research peptides have no EU authorisation, and how they are treated depends on national law.

Is semaglutide authorised in the EU?

Yes. Semaglutide products are centrally authorised prescription medicines in our tracker, read from EMA's register on October 3, 2026.

How do I know an online pharmacy is legal in the EU?

Registered EU online pharmacies display a common logo that links to the national register; EMA notes that not all member states allow online sale of prescription medicines.

Is BPC-157 legal in the EU?

It has no central EU authorisation. France's ANSM has warned against it, and national rules differ.

Sources

  1. European Medicines Agency and Heads of Medicines Agencies. Warning about sharp rise in illegal medicines sold in the EU. September 3, 2025; read October 3, 2026. EMA
  2. Grey Peptides regulatory tracker (EU: EMA register of centrally authorised medicines, read October 3, 2026) and WADA hub (2026 Prohibited List). Read October 3, 2026.
  3. Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG). Sharp rise in illegal medicines in the EU: warning against counterfeit GLP-1 receptor agonists. September 4, 2025; read October 3, 2026.
  4. European Medicines Agency. EMA alerts EU patients and healthcare professionals to reports of falsified Ozempic pens. Read October 3, 2026.
  5. ANSM. « Peptides » vendus en ligne : ne les utilisez pas, ils peuvent être dangereux. July 2, 2026, as reported by VIDAL and Univadis; read October 3, 2026.
  6. Germany. Anti-Doping-Gesetz (AntiDopG), section 2(3), and Dopingmittel-Mengen-Verordnung (DmMV), annex. Gesetze im Internet; read October 3, 2026. Gesetze im Internet

Educational information, not medical advice. Each dose in this guide names its source, an approved label or a published study. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose.

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