A major online health retailer has pulled the pin on melatonin sales to – exposing how thousands of desperate parents have been bypassing prescription rules to get their hands on the sleep aid.
US-founded giant iHerb, which ships to more than 180 countries, abruptly suspended supply after rising concerns over a spike in overdoses, particularly among children.
For years, ns have quietly ordered melatonin from overseas to dodge local drug regulations, which require a doctor’s prescription.
Parents admitted they relied on iHerb as a lifeline for kids battling sleep issues, ADHD and autism, often without ever consulting a doctor.
Now, families are panicking.
‘I know a lot of us purchase melatonin from iHerb for our ADHD/ASD kiddos,’ one mother wrote.
‘It’s now been banned… due to it being a prescription medicine.’
Another parent said they had only just received an order this week – and confessed, ‘My kids won’t sleep without it.’
But others welcomed the suspension, warning melatonin had been dangerously overused.
‘I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but I really do think it’s concerning how unregulated it is and how easy it is to have wildly different dosages without realising,’ one said.
Another wrote: ‘Honestly I think this is a good thing. My son is autistic and I use it for him so I understand some children really do need it – but it’s also very overused, and look at all the overdoses from it this year.’
The retailer’s suspension comes after The West n newspaper reported phone calls to the state’s poisons hotline about melatonin have surged 166 per cent in five years, almost 90 per cent involving children.
The trend has been linked to the rise of melatonin gummies and other melatonin products, increasingly marketed as a kids’ sleep aid.
A spokesperson for iHerb told the Daily Mail: ‘The health and well-being of our customers always comes first.
‘That’s why we are suspending all melatonin sales to n customers while we further review our order protocols for these products. Our goal is to support wellness responsibly and to give our customers confidence that they can shop with safety and trust.’
The company has not said how long the suspension will last.
n Medical Association WA’s Dr Kyle Hoath praised the move.
‘It’s good to see that iHerb has taken a proactive step around suspending sales while we look into this,’ he said.
‘The problem is that, 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.’