Dr Jasneek Chawla from the Australasian Sleep Foundation told 9News Perth melatonin was a prescription-only medication because it was unclear what was in the over-the-counter gummies.
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A Therapeutic Goods Administration spokesperson said melatonin was available as a pharmacist-only medicine in Australia for the treatment of short-term insomnia for over-55s, or jet lag in adults.
Its use is approved for children as a prescription medicine in “limited circumstances”.
“Melatonin (gummies or otherwise) are not approved for use in Australia for children for any other use, noting the TGA has not evaluated the safety or efficacy for broader use in this age group,” they said.
Australian Medical Association WA president Dr Kyle Hoath said it was good to see iHerb had taken a “proactive step” to suspend melatonin sales.
“When you think about the way an online retailer like iHerb works … there’s no interaction with a pharmacist, it’s the consumer choosing what they want without any guidance around what is safe,” he said.
The company did not say how long the suspension would be in place for, and told 9News Perth it was reviewing its order protocols.
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