Border Force cracks down on unregulated melatonin as global retailer iHerb resumes imports into Australia

The Australian Border Force is seizing and destroying imports of unregulated melatonin as Australian consumers flout “serious” health warnings from the Government’s medicines watchdog. It comes as global retailer iHerb, which paused sales of the sleep-inducing medication into Australia in the wake of child overdose concerns, recently resumed imports of a “limited range” of melatonin into the country. In Australia melatonin is approved for use in children only in limited circumstances, including treating insomnia in those with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and only through a prescription. Serious health risks linked to imported melatonin have emerged in recent months, leading to a strongly worded safety warning from the Therapeutic Goods Administration in October. The TGA urged consumers to immediately stop consuming imported melatonin after its own testing found some products contained up to 400 per cent more melatonin than the amount advertised on the label. “This variability . . . raises serious safety concerns for consumers, including the risk of hospitalisation and accidental overdose, especially in children,” the TGA said at the time. In August, The West Australian revealed melatonin-related calls to WA’s poisons hotline had soared 166 per cent in five years. The worrying trend was attributed to children accidentally overdosing on unregulated melatonin gummies, which looked and tasted like lollies. Days later, iHerb announced it was stopping melatonin sales into Australia in accordance with the country’s prescription regulations, prompting an outcry from thousands of customers. At the time, the Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association said the sudden restriction left thousands of families without affordable access to a safe and predictable sleep aid. They said many paediatricians advised families to source melatonin online, as it was far cheaper than prescription melatonin sold in Australia. Since then, a number of other overseas websites have started selling gummy versions of the product into Australia. An iHerb spokesman told The Sunday Times it had resumed sales of a “limited range” of melatonin products to Australia following a brief pause to “review order protocols, and in response to strong customer demand for access to trusted, authentic products”. “During check-out, customers will receive a link to an advisory notice from Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration explaining that melatonin is subject to import restrictions and that proof of a prescription may be required by Australian Customs,” the spokesman said. But the spokesman said the company would not be offering melatonin gummies to Australian customers, “to reduce the risk of improper use by children”, and would monitor the situation closely. “We remain committed to providing access to trusted wellness products while prioritising safety and transparency,” he said. A TGA spokesman told The West Australian the agency continued to receive referrals from the Australian Border Force on imports of melatonin. “This indicates that consumers are buying these products from a variety of sources,” he said. “On referral from the ABF of an import of therapeutic goods, the TGA conducts an assessment to determine whether it is consistent with the regulatory scheme. “The TGA continues to monitor signals relating to harmful unregistered products and will notify the ABF to seize and destroy any of these products intercepted at the border.” In the 2024-25 financial year, less than 5 per cent of imported melatonin intercepted by the ABF was released to the consumer. The TGA carried out testing between January and September of 18 melatonin products seized by the ABF, and found 12 had an average melatonin content “significantly different to the label claim”. The three worst offenders were made by the brand Sleepose. A separate product which claimed to contain 10mg of melatonin contained zero.