Experimental drug sold without oversight

CBS News correspondent Adam Yamaguchi ordered retatrutide, an unapproved weight loss drug still in Eli Lilly clinical trials, from Reset Wellness. It arrived in a week without any health professional consultation.

Easy to buy from multiple sources

Yamaguchi also purchased retatrutide from Bodystreet Jupiter, a gym in Florida, which arrived two days later without a consultation despite promising doctor review.

Sold over the counter in Brooklyn

Yamaguchi found a vial labeled retatrutide for sale at a bodega in Brooklyn for ninety dollars, with a label warning research use only, not for human consumption.

“Research use only, not for human consumption.”

Online samples contained basic retatrutide

University of Iowa research scientist Jason Galpin analyzed the samples. Both online purchases were consistent with a basic standard for retatrutide, though not identical to Eli Lilly's clinical trial drug.

Bodega sample contained no peptide

The Brooklyn bodega sample contained phenylacetic acid, a filler commonly found in fragrances and lip balms, instead of the active peptide ingredient.

“It does not look anything like a peptide.”

Contaminated sample poses infection risk

Carl Ross, director of development at the University of Iowa's Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing, found thirteen colonies of bacteria in the bodega sample. Injecting contaminated material could cause serious infection.

“It's pretty terrifying.”

Regulators struggle to keep pace

Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, a Yale physician, said regulators need to find ways to oversee these platforms as access to unapproved drugs continues to grow unchecked.

“I am trying to be hopeful that there might be ways to regulate these platforms... like the horse is out of the barn and so we're going to be trying to catch up to what's our current reality of really easy access”