A clinic whose doctors prescribed and sold peptides has been fined $10 million for breaking laws banning the advertising of S4 drugs direct to patients.

Peptide Clinics Australia’s website had claimed its drugs could be safely used to improve heart health as well as treat anxiety, enhance the libido, increase weight loss and boost tanning.

The company’s 50,000 customers were asked to fill out an online questionnaire, to be reviewed by the clinic’s doctors, who then prescribed the compounded drugs.

But the Federal Court of Australia said the doctors were in fact making a “sales pitch” rather than practising medicine, with the clinic charging patients up to $1400 for its treatments.