Melanotan 2, also written Melanotan II, is not approved as a tanning agent in Australia. Recent regulator testing illustrates why label claims need verification. (TGA, 2026b)
What did the TGA find?
In its 17 August 2026 advisory, the TGA reported testing five bottles labelled as containing 30 mg. Estimated Melanotan II content ranged from 22 mg to 54 mg, based on the labelled bottle volume. The regulator also stated that Melanotan II is prescription-only and that no products containing it were included in the ARTG at the time of that advisory. (TGA, 2026b)
How far were those measurements from the label?
The following is our arithmetic using the TGA’s published range, not new laboratory testing:
| Reported end of range | Difference from 30 mg | Percentage difference |
|---|---|---|
| 22 mg | 8 mg below | 26.7% below |
| 54 mg | 24 mg above | 80.0% above |
Method: percentage difference = (reported amount − label amount) ÷ label amount × 100. Values are rounded to one decimal place. The highest reported estimate was approximately 2.45 times the lowest.
These figures describe five seized samples. They do not establish a market-wide failure rate, and the public range does not supply every bottle’s result or the mean. That limitation matters as much as the arithmetic.
Why a percentage on a label is not enough
Identity, amount and consistency are separate questions. A product could be described with a high purity percentage while its amount differs from the label. A report concerning one submitted sample also cannot by itself establish the contents of every unit sold.
The practical reading habit is to ask exactly what was measured. “Contains the named substance”, “contains the claimed amount” and “has been assessed for a proposed human use” should never be collapsed into a single quality claim.
Does a melanotan tan protect against sunlight?
No. The TGA warns that increased pigmentation from melanotan does not provide the protection of suitable sunscreen. Its consumer warning also describes adverse effects and advises people who have used unapproved melanotan tanning products to stop and speak with a health professional. (TGA, 2025)
Is a nasal spray fundamentally different from an injection?
A change in route does not establish approval or safety. The relevant questions remain the substance, the product, its intended use and the supporting evidence. A route-specific claim needs evidence for that route; it cannot be inferred from the product’s packaging or convenience.
Are Melanotan I and Melanotan II interchangeable?
Do not treat similar names as interchangeable product identities. Check the exact substance in the source being quoted. Information about another compound or an authorised medicine for a specific condition cannot automatically support a tanning product.
What should a useful Melanotan 2 article include?
It should identify the date and scope of regulatory information, explain the limits of any test data and avoid implying that appearance of a tan is a health benefit. A numerical result is most useful when readers can see its denominator, calculation and source.
For any health-related claim, keep the source and wording together. A useful page lets readers check whether the conclusion follows from the evidence cited.
References
Linked author–year citations identify the source for the nearby statement. Publication years refer to the journal issue where available; earlier online dates are noted below. “n.d.” means no publication date is displayed; letter suffixes distinguish sources by the same organisation. Tables labelled as editorial interpretation are our reading of the cited evidence.
- Therapeutic Goods Administration (2025). Don’t risk using tanning products containing melanotan. Published 24 January 2025. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Therapeutic Goods Administration (2026b). Melanotan II tanning peptide products found to be inconsistently dosed. Safety advisory, 17 August 2026. Accessed 21 October 2026.