Lilly Canada has issued a formal public safety notice warning that unapproved and illegal retatrutide is being sold to Canadians on the black market, and says it is working with Health Canada and Canadian law enforcement to combat the trade (Lilly Canada press release).
“Retatrutide has not yet been approved for human use by Health Canada or any other regulatory agency in the world. It cannot be lawfully sold to consumers in Canada or elsewhere,” the company said in the notice, dated August 12, 2026 and widely reported on August 17 (CP24/CTV News). “Despite this, a black market for unapproved and illegal retatrutide exists globally.”
A widening enforcement campaign
The Canadian notice follows Eli Lilly’s escalation against the global black market in the United States, where the company filed six lawsuits on August 12 against compounding pharmacies, medical spas, and online peptide sellers (we covered the lawsuits here). Lilly has referred more than 200 individuals and entities to regulators and law enforcement worldwide and reported more than 14,000 websites, listings, and social media posts unlawfully marketing retatrutide.
The scale of the problem is visible at the border: U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted more than 1,400 shipments of illicit obesity and diabetes drugs in July 2026 — nearly 90,000 vials — up sharply from roughly 690 shipments and 31,000 units in fiscal 2025 (Reuters, via CP24). Counterfeit products, the company says, are frequently made by unregulated foreign manufacturers.
“What is being sold on the black market is not a medicine — it is entirely unverified, unapproved and not worth the risk,” said David A. Hyman, Eli Lilly’s chief medical officer.
What Lilly Canada is doing
Lilly Canada says it is:
- Working with Health Canada and Canadian law enforcement to address the promotion and sale of unapproved and illegal retatrutide products in Canada
- Calling on social media and e-commerce platforms, credit card companies, payment processors, and shipping and logistics carriers to help cut off the infrastructure that sellers depend on to reach Canadian patients
What Canadians should do
Lilly Canada encourages anyone who encounters suspected unapproved retatrutide products to report them to:
- Health Canada’s Health Product Complaint and Incident Reporting system
- Local law enforcement
- Lilly Canada’s Customer Response Centre at 1-888-545-5972
Canadian context
For Canadians, the notice restates a fact worth repeating: there is no legitimate retatrutide product for sale anywhere in the world. Any retatrutide sold online, through social media, or in a clinic is unapproved and unverified. The only legitimate pathways to access retatrutide in Canada remain enrollment in a clinical trial (the TRIUMPH program includes Canadian sites) or a case-by-case Health Canada Special Access Programme request made by a physician (how to get retatrutide in Canada).
Anyone considering buying retatrutide from a seller should understand the risks: unknown purity, unsterile manufacturing conditions, incorrect dosing, and no medical oversight (safety & side effects). Report suspicious products to Health Canada and consult a physician about approved treatment options.
Sources
- Lilly Canada: Public Safety Notice — Unapproved and Illegal Retatrutide Products (August 12, 2026)
- CP24: “Drugmaker warns Canadians about ‘unapproved and illegal’ obesity medication” (August 17, 2026)
- The Globe and Mail: Public Safety Notice (press release syndication)
- Reuters: Lilly sues six companies over alleged illegal sales of experimental obesity drug (August 12, 2026)
- Health Canada: Stay safe when buying health products online
Disclaimer: GetRetatrutide.ca is an independent educational resource. This article does not constitute medical advice. Retatrutide is not approved by Health Canada or the FDA.