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Article: Doctors call for licensing of jet lag treatment
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- February 7, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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A PROVEN treatment for jet lag that is banned in Britain should be
made available to long-distance air travellers by funding the
necessary safety tests from the public purse, doctors will say today.
The hormone melatonin, despite being illegal, is widely used to
prevent the fatigue, sleeplessness, loss of concentration and
irritability associated with long-haul air travel. It is found
naturally in the body and helps to control normal body rhythms, which
are disturbed when flying across time zones.
Although officially banned in Britain, melatonin can be obtained
illegally in some health food shops and on the internet. In some
countries, including America, Thailand and Singapore, it is sold ...