Over-the-counter melatonin arrives for Aussies over 55
Australians over 55 who have problems falling asleep will no longer need to source a sleep-inducing drug without needing a prescription.
Melatonin will now be available over the counter in Australian pharmacies after the country’s medicines regulator approved the move last year.
The hormone is released to signal to your brain when it’s time to head to bed, and has become a popular supplement among people who struggle to fall asleep.
But pharmacist John Bell said people’s natural supply of melatonin reduces as they age and can lead to poorer sleep.
“Melatonin is considered safe for short-term use,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
“In contrast to many sleep medications, with melatonin people are unlikely to become dependent, have a diminished response after repeated use (habituation), or experience a hangover effect.”
As former national president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Mr Bell suggested that purchasing unregulated melatonin products, such as those coming from overseas, could compromise user safety.
“If the country of origin from which some Australians have been purchasing melatonin products does not have the same regulatory excellence as Australia, there is no way to check the products are safe, of a high quality and do what they are supposed to do,” he said.
Melatonin is only available over the counter as a short-term treatment for people over 55, and requires approval by a pharmacist.
Some experts are worried that using melatonin without a prior trip to the doctor could lead to serious health concerns being overlooked.
“It should be managed by doctors not pharmacists. People with insomnia, it can be a part of a serious mental health problem and they need to be assessed properly,” said Ron Grunstein from the Woolcock Institute.
Pharmacists have countered that they will send patients to doctors if there are further concerns.
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