How JustAnswer Works:
  • Ask an Expert
    Experts are full of valuable knowledge and are ready to help with any question. Credentials confirmed by a Fortune 500 verification firm.
  • Get a Professional Answer
    Via email, text message, or notification as you wait on our site. Ask follow up questions if you need to.
  • Go back-and-forth until satisfied
    Rate the answer you receive.
By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them.
Ask TheLawLDN Your Own Question
TheLawLDN
TheLawLDN, Lawyer
Category: Law
Satisfied Customers: 183
Experience:  Expert
116381621
Type Your Law Question Here...
TheLawLDN is online now

I’m starting an ecommerce brand selling supplements. One of

Customer Question

Hi, I’m starting an ecommerce brand selling supplements. One of the products I’m going to sell is Melatonin, I’m aware that Melatonjn is illegal to sell in the UK without a pres
JA: The Lawyer can help you determine if that's legal. Is there anything else the Lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured that they'll be able to help you.
Customer: …prescription, however it’s legal to purchase melatonin from oversees where Melatonin is readily available. I’m based in the UK, however the every purchase of melatonin will be delivered from the manufacturer in Latvia. I’m looking to understood if this process is legal. Thank you
Submitted: 11 days ago.
Category: Law
Customer: replied 11 days ago.
Apologies for the typos, I'm essentially trying to understand if I'm legally able to dropship Melatonin from Latvia as a UK based company
Expert:  TheLawLDN replied 11 days ago.

Hello, I'm an adviser with JA and I will try to help you.

Please note the following:

  1. Do not provide personal information/data here. Please note that, under UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) “‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person”.
  2. If you request a call, this can be either with me or with another expert that is available to pick your request.
  3. This service is intended for general information only, not advice, and does not include the examination of documents.
  4. JA does not provide legal representation and no client/lawyer relationship of any kind will be established.
  5. If you need (urgent) legal representation or advice, or answering your question requires the examination of documents and/or non-straightforward activity that falls outside the remit of this service, you should consider consulting a solicitor – and/or a barrister as the case may be – which you can look for at the following links:

https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/find-a-barrister.html

Ask Your Own Law Question
Expert:  TheLawLDN replied 11 days ago.

Hello, this service is not meant for legal advice.

However, on a general note, I would not recommend the course of action that you are planning.

As you are aware of, melatonin was classed as a medicine and is only available on prescription in the UK.

One thing is the possibility to buy melatonin in a foreign country where it is considered a supplement and to bring it to the UK for personal use.

A completely different thing is to plan to sell it online with a Uk registered company, basically circumventing the law.

Importing human medicines (including unlicensed medicines) requires a licence and even if the product is delivered directly from the manufactures it doesn't change that the UK company will be selling it.

Also, the e-commerce platforms policy is to try to prevent the online free sale of products in countries where they can be available only on prescription (https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jan/03/illegal-sale-melatonin-ebay)

At any rate, I have to recommend that you speak with a specialist solicitor for a thorough assessment of the case and advice on the possible legal consequences.

I hope this information is helpful and I wish you the best.

Please do not hesitate to contact JA again if you need help and you may ask to speak with me directly if you wish.

Regards.

Ask Your Own Law Question