Iceland has no data on illegal peptide use

Iceland has no figures on how many people use illegal peptides, mbl.is reported, citing a response from Health Minister Alma Möller to a parliamentary question from Sigurður Helgi Pálmason of the People’s Party.

“There are no data held by the Ministry of Health that could cover the information requested,” Möller told parliament. She said the information had also been confirmed by the Icelandic Medicines Agency and the Icelandic Medicines Inspectorate, which is not part of her ministry.

“Nevertheless, we know these substances are used for appearance-enhancing purposes,” she said. Unapproved peptides imported from sources that are not authorised pharmaceutical manufacturers can be extremely dangerous and may even be fatal. They have become popular in Iceland for cosmetic use, particularly among young people.

The Poison Centre at Landspítali has received three calls about peptides so far this year, Möller said. One involved a person under 18. Customs monitors shipments into the country, while police monitor domestic distribution. The Medicines Agency provides expert advice when substances are seized, she added.

Customs took part in an Europol operation targeting illegal medicines and seized more than 5,000 vials of illegal peptides across 34 types. In a response to mbl.is in August, the tax authority said customs had seized 13,998 units of suspected illegal peptides since 2025. These included 990 units of RT20 peptides, said to promote weight loss, and 920 units of CU50 peptides, said to be beneficial for the skin.