Peptide laws in Germany
Last updated: October 3, 2026 · 5 min read · By the Grey Peptides Editorial Board
- Approved peptide medicines in Germany are prescription-only and authorised through the EU system or nationally.
- Germany's Anti-Doping Act prohibits acquiring, possessing or bringing into the country 'non-small amounts' of listed doping substances for doping in sport.
- Its thresholds regulation names CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MK-677, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, hexarelin and AOD-9604, with thresholds as low as 1.5 mg for GHRPs.
- Statuses were read from the Act, the thresholds regulation and the EMA register on October 3, 2026.
Medicines law: the EU baseline
Germany follows the EU framework for medicines: a peptide drug needs a marketing authorisation, granted centrally through the European Medicines Agency or nationally, and prescription medicines are supplied through pharmacies 1. Our EU tracker table shows which peptides are centrally authorised; research peptides such as BPC-157 are not 2.
| Peptide | Status | What the register shows |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Kayshild, Kyinsu, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Tirzepatide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Mounjaro. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Liraglutide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Ablymico, Liraglutide STADA, Saxenda, Victoza, Xultophy. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Dulaglutide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Trulicity. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Somatropin | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: NutropinAq, Omnitrope, Skytrofa (previously Lonapegsomatropin Ascendis Pharma). National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Teriparatide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Forsteo, Kauliv, Livogiva, Movymia, Sondelbay, Teriparatide Sun, Terrosa, Yorvipath, Zandoriah. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Octreotide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Oczyesa. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| Leuprolide | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Camcevi. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| IGF-1 (mecasermin) | Centrally authorised | Centrally authorised in the EU: Increlex. National authorisations are not covered by this source. |
| hCG | Centrally authorised | Centrally 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 Anti-Doping Act: what makes Germany different
Most countries regulate doping through sport's own rules. Germany also uses criminal law. Section 2(3) of the Anti-Doping Act (Anti-Doping-Gesetz, AntiDopG) prohibits acquiring, possessing, or bringing into or through Germany a doping substance that is, or contains, a substance listed in the Act's annex, in a 'non-small amount', for the purpose of doping humans in sport 3. The quantities are set by a separate regulation, the Dopingmittel-Mengen-Verordnung (DmMV), which states its thresholds for the free compound 4.
The DmMV's annex names several popular growth hormone peptides in its groups of peptide hormones and growth factors. The thresholds below are as published in the version on Germany's federal law portal, read on October 3, 2026 4:
| DmMV group (examples named in the annex) | 'Non-small amount' |
|---|---|
| Growth hormone releasing hormones (GHRH): sermorelin, somatorelin, tesamorelin, mod-GRF, CJC-1295 | 180 mg |
| Growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) and mimetics: anamorelin, ipamorelin, ghrelin, macimorelin, ibutamoren (MK-677), tabimorelin | 150 mg |
| Growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRP): GHRP-2 (pralmorelin), GHRP-6, hexarelin | 1.5 mg |
| Growth hormone fragments: AOD-9604, hGH fragment 176-191 | 16 mg |
| Somatropin (growth hormone) | 16 mg |
| Mecasermin (IGF-1) | 60 mg |
The 1.5 mg threshold for growth hormone releasing peptides is strikingly low: a single research vial of GHRP-2, GHRP-6 or hexarelin can exceed it. The Act's prohibition is tied to doping in sport, and how it applies in an individual case is a legal question we do not try to answer; anyone facing it needs a German lawyer.
Peptides the annex does not name
Peptides such as BPC-157, TB-500, epitalon, selank and semax do not appear among the examples in the DmMV groups above 4. That does not make them authorised medicines: they have no EU authorisation in our tracker 2, and selling them as medicines without authorisation falls under medicines law. It also does not change their status in sport, where BPC-157 is prohibited under WADA's S0 2.
Illegal GLP-1s and online sales
Germany was part of the EU-wide warning in 2025: EMA and the Heads of Medicines Agencies cautioned that illegal medicines marketed as GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide and tirzepatide were being sold online, that these are prescription medicines, and that legitimate online pharmacies carry the EU common logo 1. EMA's earlier alert on falsified Ozempic pens noted that the German medicines agency had published a picture of a falsified pen 5.
Bringing peptides into Germany
The Anti-Doping Act's prohibition explicitly covers bringing a non-small amount of a listed substance into or through Germany for doping in sport 3. For prescribed medicines, carry them in labelled packaging with the prescription; our travel guide covers the basics, and German customs publishes its own rules for medicines.
Sport
German athletes follow the WADA Prohibited List through NADA Germany. BPC-157 is prohibited under S0, and the growth hormone peptides in the table above are named under S2.2.4 2. Our WADA hub lists each peptide.
Questions to check
- Is the peptide authorised in the EU or Germany, and prescribed?
- Is it in a DmMV group, and how does the quantity compare with the threshold?
- Does the online pharmacy carry the EU common logo?
- Am I subject to anti-doping rules?
The bottom line
Germany treats approved peptides as prescription medicines under the EU system, and adds a criminal ban on acquiring, possessing or importing non-small amounts of listed doping substances for doping in sport. Its thresholds name CJC-1295, ipamorelin, MK-677, GHRPs and AOD-9604, some as low as 1.5 mg.
Frequently asked questions
Are peptides legal in Germany?
Authorised peptide medicines are legal on prescription. The Anti-Doping Act also prohibits acquiring or possessing non-small amounts of listed doping substances, including several growth hormone peptides, for doping in sport.
What is the 'nicht geringe Menge' for ipamorelin?
The DmMV sets 150 mg for growth hormone secretagogues, a group whose examples include ipamorelin and ibutamoren (MK-677).
Is CJC-1295 covered by the Anti-Doping Act?
Yes. The DmMV lists CJC-1295 and mod-GRF among GHRH analogues, with a threshold of 180 mg.
Is BPC-157 illegal in Germany?
It is not named in the DmMV groups, but it has no EU authorisation as a medicine and is prohibited in sport under WADA's S0.
Related on Grey Peptides
Sources
- 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
- Grey Peptides regulatory tracker (EU: EMA register, read October 3, 2026) and WADA hub (2026 Prohibited List). Read October 3, 2026.
- Germany. Gesetz gegen Doping im Sport (Anti-Doping-Gesetz, AntiDopG), section 2(3). Read October 3, 2026.
- Germany. Verordnung zur Festlegung der nicht geringen Menge von Dopingmitteln (Dopingmittel-Mengen-Verordnung, DmMV), annex, sections 2.3 to 3. Gesetze im Internet; read October 3, 2026. Gesetze im Internet
- European Medicines Agency. EMA alerts EU patients and healthcare professionals to reports of falsified Ozempic pens. Read October 3, 2026.
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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