New Research Reframes Harm Reduction for the Growing IPED Community Published in Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, November 8, 2025 (SAGE Journals) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13634593251388294
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Study Calls for Tailored, Respectful Approaches to "Safer Injecting"
A groundbreaking new article, Making 'safer injecting' matter for people who inject image and performance enhancing drugs, published on November 8, 2025, offers one of the most comprehensive examinations to date of how harm-reduction principles can be adapted to better serve people who inject image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs).
The study, authored by Dr. Thomas O'Connor, Tim Piatkowski, Emma Kill, Jason Ferris, and colleagues, argues that conventional "safer injecting" frameworks—largely designed for opioid or stimulant use—fail to resonate with IPED injectors, whose motivations and practices differ significantly. The paper calls for harm-reduction strategies that align with enhancement cultures rather than working against them.
Context and Rationale
IPED use—encompassing anabolic-androgenic steroids, peptides, and related substances—is on the rise globally. These compounds are typically injected intramuscularly or subcutaneously for physique enhancement, performance gain, or wellbeing. Despite this growth, most harm-reduction advice still assumes intravenous use of psychoactive drugs. As a result, many IPED users find safety messaging irrelevant, moralizing, or disconnected from their realities.
Key Findings
- Context defines credibility.
The study shows that IPED users often view themselves as disciplined, health-oriented individuals. Messaging that assumes addiction or loss of control undermines credibility. Framing safer injecting as part of a commitment to optimization and longevity encourages engagement.
- Distinct safety needs.
IPED injectors face different risks—abscesses, fibrosis, and infection from oil-based solutions. They need guidance on sterile preparation, correct barrel and needle selection, site rotation, and wound monitoring—resources many harm-reduction services lack.
- Stigma as a structural barrier.
Fear of judgment—especially around appearance-enhancement motives—keeps many IPED users from accessing health services. The paper calls for non-judgmental, discreet, and body-positive harm-reduction environments integrated into gyms, sports medicine, and community health spaces.
- Peer expertise as a bridge.
Peer educators and advocates play an essential role in translating medical recommendations into practical, culturally relevant actions. Their involvement builds trust and credibility, improving safety outcomes.
Research Team
- Dr. Thomas O'Connor — Lead author; clinician, researcher, and founder of Testosteronology.com, a pioneering platform dedicated to men's health, testosterone therapy, and safer performance enhancement.
- Tim Piatkowski — Lecturer, School of Applied Psychology; Griffith Centre for Mental Health, Griffith University.
- Emma Kill — Peer advocate and community researcher.
- Jason Ferris — Public-health and epidemiological researcher.
- Additional collaborators — Contributed sociological, clinical, and community-engaged perspectives.
Broader Significance
As IPED use continues to grow across gyms, sports communities, and online forums, this study provides a timely roadmap for harm-reduction innovation. It reframes IPED injectors as informed, motivated participants in their own health rather than passive subjects of intervention.
Media Contact
Dr. Thomas O'Connor, Testosteronology®, 1 (860) 904-6779, [email protected], https://testosteronology.com
SOURCE Testosteronology®
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