There have been a number of misconceptions raised regarding the impact of Bill C-51 (which amends the Food and Drugs Act) upon regulations of, and access to, Natural Health Products.

These misconceptions are false and misleading and caused some confusion regarding how Natural Health Products will be affected by the Bill. I want to emphasize at the outset that Natural Health Products are not regulated as food or as drugs; they have been regulated as a unique category since 2004. Bill C-51 is not focussed on Natural Health Products and will not affect the manner in which these products are regulated in Canada.

Natural Health Products are regulated under the Natural Health Products Regulations and Bill C-51 does not change these regulations. Bill C-51 does not ban vitamins or herbal supplements but rather it intends to facilitate greater access to safe and effective Natural Health Products rather than keep them from Canadians. It is important to note that just because something says it’s natural does not mean it is necessarily safe to take and this Bill will ensure that Canadians know what risks are involved in taking certain supplements. Some Natural Health Product’s can have adverse effects on their own and in combination with other drugs. For example, ephedrine (a natural supplement) was taken off the market in Canada because it causes heart palpitations, heart attacks, strokes and in some cases death.

I would also like to clarify the term ‘therapeutic product’ in the legislation. This is a general term encompassing drugs, natural health products, medical devices, veterinary drugs, blood and blood products. They all share one common element - they claim to enhance human health, and Canadians rely on them to do that. When a health claim is made, it needs to be tested in order to ensure public safety.

The legislation now before the House of Commons requires that compliance and enforcement measures be gauged to the degree of risk of the product. On products of low risk, which includes most Natural Health Products, pharmaceutical standards of evidence are not required. On the other hand, the legislation also requires vigilance to ensure that tainted products are found and recalled, that what is on the label is actually in the bottle, and that health claims are supported by evidence.

Health Canada often issues warnings about mislabelled products or products that have serious adverse reactions. For example, liver toxicity has been associated with the use of a Black cohosh product that was found to contain a species of the plant different than the one stated on the label. There have also been cases where a natural health product makes a completely unfounded health clam – the ability to cure cancer or SARS for example. In addition, the increasing import of products and ingredients from foreign countries will require oversight to assure product safety and quality for Canadians.

In the future, under a modernized Food and Drugs Act, the numbers and variety of Natural Health Products will continue to grow, and Canadians can be confident that they will always be able to access innovative, safe and effective Natural Health Products.