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Coroner finds actor and martial artist Richard Norton died after peptide injections triggered a heart attack, and calls for Australia's medicines regulator to review unapproved peptides

An Australian coroner found that actor and martial artist Richard Norton, 75, died of a cardiac arrest in March 2025 triggered by injecting unapproved peptides, CJC1295 and ipamorelin, prescribed by a doctor; he had been taking double the prescribed dose. The coroner recommended that Australia's medicines regulator, the TGA, review unapproved peptides.

L 67% · C 0% · R 33% · 6 outlets

Left 1 · Centre-left 3 · Centre 0 · Centre-right 1 · Right 1

How each side framed it

Left-leaning outlets

Left-rated outlets headline it: “Richard Norton, actor and martial artist, died after peptides triggered heart attack, coroner says” (NBC News); “'Mad Max' actor Richard Norton died after peptide injection, coroner finds” (USA Today).

Centre outlets

No least-biased (centre) outlet in our sample covered it.

Right-leaning outlets

Right-rated outlets headline it: “Australian actor and martial artist Richard Norton’s 2025 death linked to peptide usage” (National Review); “Actor dies suddenly after injecting peptides — despite doctor’s approval” (New York Post).

Context

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Sources by lean

Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.

Showing 2 from left and right of 6 rated outlets (L 4 / C 0 / R 2). Capped at 2 because that is all we found on the thinnest side. More coverage

Video

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Deep dive

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A question to hold: What would each side need to see to change its mind?

Try it: open one left and one right article in Sources by lean and note what each takes for granted.

Follow the money

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Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (6 outlets)
OutletLeanOwnership & funding (MBFC)
Daily BeastLeftThe Daily Beast’s parent company is IAC (InterActiveCorp). which is run by Barry Diller, who had led the creation of the Fox network. IAC’s CEO is Joey Levin. IAC (InterActiveCorp) is a media and Internet company comprised of some of the world’s well-known brands, such as HomeAdvisor, Vimeo, About.com, Dictionary.com, Investopedia, and more. source
NBC NewsCentre-leftNo ownership data found
The GuardianCentre-leftThe Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source
USA TodayCentre-leftUSA Today is owned by the Gannett Company, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. It is one of the largest newspaper publishers in the United States, with interests in newspapers, digital marketing services companies, and television broadcasting. Subscriptions and advertising generate revenue. source
New York PostCentre-rightThe New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which owns many conservative/sensational media outlets worldwide. The paper is funded through advertising, subscriptions, and newsstand sales. source
National ReviewRightThe National Review magazine and website are both owned by the National Review Institute. William F. Buckley Jr. founded the National Review Institute as a nonprofit, and according to an article from The Nation, the “National Review‘s biggest financial supporter, Roger Milliken was a Birch Society member. source