Retatrutide remains strictly an investigational molecule, currently undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials for obesity and diabetes. Because it has not received regulatory approval from any agency worldwide, any product sold directly to consumers is illegal, unverified, and carries significant health risks. Despite these warnings, wellness clinics and online suppliers have continued to market the drug as a weight-loss solution, often hiding behind 'research-use only' disclaimers.

Lilly’s legal campaign targets compounding pharmacies and medical spas, including entities like Aesthetic Envy and Astra Peptides. Beyond the courtroom, the company has flagged over 14,000 instances of unlawful marketing across more than 100 countries. Chief Medical Officer David A. Hyman emphasized that the products circulating on the black market are not legitimate medicines and lack any guarantee of safety or efficacy. The company is now pressuring logistics carriers, credit card companies, and e-commerce platforms to sever ties with these sellers, arguing that these businesses are inadvertently fueling a public health crisis.