Ministry takes action to reduce melatonin consumption

ANKARA

The Health Ministry has taken steps to address the widespread use of melatonin and decided to limit its availability to pharmacies.

Two years ago, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry acquired the licensing authority for melatonin products. Considered a nutritional supplement, melatonin products have since then started to be offered for sale, even in stores.

Experts expressed concerns about this easy access, highlighting the potential drawbacks of unrestrained consumption of such hormones.

In a bid to curb the growing alarm over the increasing use of melatonin, the Health Ministry removed the melatonin products from the food supplement category after taking over the licensing procedure.

Pharmacies across the country have begun receiving the first melatonin products licensed by the ministry, now deemed as medications, within the scope of this new regulation.

There is only one registered melatonin product available in pharmacies at present, however, some businesses also undergo an ongoing licensing procedure to release their medications.

Meanwhile, pharmacists believe that other food supplements must also be subject to such limitations.

The majority of the supplements taken to balance hormones are, in fact, medications, according to pharmacist Erdal Kart.

Kart, therefore, noted that the action taken by the Health Ministry was a significant step for science and health, adding that it would also contribute to the financial conditions of the citizens.

“In Türkiye, the Health Ministry licensed 22,500 medications over the course of 40–50 years, whereas the Agriculture Ministry has licensed over 20,000 supplements during the course of 10 years,” Kart pointed out.