00:02It started on social media, but is now putting pressure on essential and life-saving services.
00:08It's incredibly worrying. I mean, it's a giant lab experiment that's happening in real time with no real response.
00:17Peptides are being used at a higher rate than steroids.
00:20Illegally imported, they're unregulated and potentially harmful.
00:24We're also seeing concerningly acute life-threatening illness case presentations into emergency departments such as liver toxicity.
00:34We particularly marked increase probably since sort of late last year, November, December.
00:39It's seemed to spike since that period.
00:41It's not just a local issue, it's something that we're seeing internationally.
00:46Needle and syringe providers initially set up for illicit drug users have become overwhelmed by peptide users.
00:53We're kind of contracted to distribute about 500,000 units and we're up to 2 million.
01:00And unfortunately it's not financially sustainable for the organisation to distribute that much equipment.
01:06There are now fears those who are most at risk will be left without.
01:10We have had reports of increased syringe sharing.
01:13It's particularly difficult in rural areas where a lot of the distribution is done by vending machines and those are
01:22being cleared out within an hour or two of being filled.
01:25And without a significant investment from the government, exchanges won't be able to operate on the same scale.
01:31We can't keep up with that demand.
01:33We would have to probably let go of two or three employees to keep up with it.
01:40Australia has one of the lowest rates of HIV in people who inject drugs in the world.
01:45That is now at risk.
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