A dramatic rise in childhood emergency room visits could lead to new safety changes in the melatonin industry.
Demand for supplements with melatonin has skyrocketed over the last decade.
But a March CDC report discovered that in recent years thousands of children had been seen in emergency rooms after taking melatonin while unsupervised.
As a dietary supplement, melatonin does not have to go through FDA approval for safety, effectiveness, or labeling before it is sold to the public.
But now, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association for supplements, has issued new voluntary guidelines.
“You know, that the cap is open, the child takes it because it, it’s flavor, it’s a flavored gummy and it’s almost, you know, quite honestly, it tastes like candy so they take it,” said Dr. Ken Sassower with MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
The changes they are asking for include new labels to warn about the dangers of drowsiness, and the choking hazard for small children if not chewed properly.
The council also stresses the need for makers to adopt child-safety containers.