melatonin prescription for adult with ASD?

[mountains]

Hello,

Ive tried to do a search before posting but couldn't find a clear answer.

A 55-year old friend of mine has an NHS diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. He has always had sleep issues and used to take zopiclone and clonazepan for this. He stopped taking them last year as they are not great long-term, and started ordering melatonin online from an American site, but it seems that is no longer possible

I've looked to see if it's possible for him to have it prescribed by his GP or perhaps by the team that diagnosed him but I'm finding the information on the internet confusing (for instance it says that melatonin is not licensed for children in the UK, yet I know that my son who has ASD was prescribed it by his paediatrician, though his GP could not prescribe it. It seems to be an accepted off-label use.). I've read that melatonin is licensed for people over 55 in the UK, but only for 3 weeks: is that also something that can be got around, could he have it for longer (as an off-label use)? Would his GP be allowed to make the prescription, or is it, like for children, a 'specialist' medicine? It's got to be better than zopiclone and clonazepan, which his GP prescribed for him for the last 15 years without problems (which he arguably shouldn't have).
 Has any of you been able to have melatonin prescribed in the UK, and if so, how?

Many thanks!

[mountains]

Hello,
I posted this on another area of MN but I should have posted it here, so here it goes again:
A 55-year old friend of mine has an NHS diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. He has always had sleep issues and used to take zopiclone and clonazepan for this. He stopped taking them last year as they are not great long-term, and started ordering melatonin online from an American site, but it seems that is no longer possible

I've looked to see if it's possible for him to have it prescribed by his GP or perhaps by the team that diagnosed him but I'm finding the information on the internet confusing (for instance it says that melatonin is not licensed for children in the UK, yet I know that my son who has ASD was prescribed it by his paediatrician, though his GP could not prescribe it. It seems to be an accepted off-label use.). I've read that melatonin is licensed for people over 55 in the UK, but only for 3 weeks: is that also something that can be got around, could he have it for longer (as an off-label use)? Would his GP be allowed to make the prescription, or is it, like for children, a 'specialist' medicine? It's got to be better than zopiclone and clonazepan, which his GP prescribed for him for the last 15 years without problems (which he arguably shouldn't have).
 Has any of you been able to have melatonin prescribed in the UK, and if so, how?

Many thanks!

[mountains]

Oops! Meant to post this in general health - sorry!