Coroner Links Actor’s Death to Excess Peptide Dose, Urges TGA Crackdown

Australian martial arts legend and Hollywood action veteran Richard Norton died after injecting more than the prescribed dose of unapproved peptides, a Melbourne coroner has found, in what is believed to be the first fatality in the country linked to the substances.

Norton, 75, suffered a cardiac arrest at his Melbourne home on 28 March 2025 and died two days later at the Alfred Hospital. Coroner David Ryan’s findings, released this week, concluded that an injection of the peptides CJC-1295 and ipamorelin triggered a severe anaphylactic reaction that led to the arrest.

“I am satisfied that Richard’s death was triggered by his injection of the peptide CJC1295/Ipamorelin,” Ryan wrote. “Richard had been taking amounts of the medication in excess of the dose prescribed by his medical practitioner. The injection caused an anaphylactic reaction which in turn led to cardiac arrest.” Contributing factors included asthma and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Norton, born in Croydon, Victoria, on 6 January 1950, had sought peptide therapy for fatigue, reduced recovery, shoulder pain and loss of lean muscle mass. On 11 March 2025 he consulted a doctor and discussed the experimental treatment. Blood tests and a CT artery calcium score were performed. He signed an informed-consent form that listed anaphylaxis among the risks and was prescribed the injections on 19 March.

A week later he reported feeling better, with improved symptoms. On 28 March he told a clinic nurse he had been administering double the prescribed doses. She advised him to return to the correct amount. Hours later, after injecting again at home, he complained of feeling hot and flushed, then collapsed and became unresponsive. His wife, actress Judy Green, began CPR. He was taken to hospital, where he developed further complications and was not considered a candidate for further intervention. He died on 30 March.

The peptides are not listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and are regarded as unapproved. Norton was also found to possess other peptides including BPC-157, Thymosin B4 and TB-500. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has previously recorded cases of anaphylaxis or hypersensitivity linked to similar products.

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Ryan recommended that the TGA review the therapeutic benefits and safety risks of peptides such as CJC-1295 and ipamorelin and consider tighter controls, including moving them from Schedule 4 (prescription-only) to Schedule 10 so they would be available only for clinical trials or other experimental use, or listing them as poisons under the Poisons Standard. “Given the likely risks associated with peptides such as CJC1295/Ipamorelin, including anaphylaxis, and the lack of evidence as to their therapeutic benefits, I am not satisfied that it is appropriate for them to be available to be prescribed by medical practitioners,” he said.

Norton’s career spanned more than four decades. A highly ranked martial artist with black belts in Gōjū-ryū karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and other styles, and co-creator of the hybrid system Zen Do Kai, he worked as a bodyguard for performers including David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, ABBA and Fleetwood Mac before moving into film. He appeared in or choreographed action sequences for more than 80 productions, trading blows with Chuck Norris in The Octagon (1980) and Jackie Chan in several films, and later training and working with Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron (including a role in Mad Max: Fury Road), Liam Neeson, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson and others. He is survived by his wife of more than 30 years, Judy Green.

The findings have renewed scrutiny of the growing use of unapproved peptide therapies marketed for anti-ageing, muscle recovery and performance. Health authorities continue to urge caution and reporting of adverse reactions.