Is Health Canada restricting access to natural health products?
A. One of the ways Health Canada protects Canadians from potential health hazards and harm is through the administration of the Food and Drugs Act. The Food and Drugs Act and Regulations describe the requirements that a drug must meet before it can be sold to the public to ensure that it is safe and effective. When the new Natural Health Products Regulations come into force on January 1, 2004, they will also fall under the Food and Drugs Act but will describe the requirements that a natural health product will need to meet before sale can occur in Canada. At the present time, there is no category of drug in legislation called a natural health product. All substances and combinations of substances that are manufactured, sold or represented to treat a disease, or modify an organic function, are drugs. The regulatory requirements do not aim to restrict access, but rather to provide access to drugs that have been assessed for quality, safety and effectiveness.
