Over the past 10 years, Health Canada has introduced new regulations concerning the manufacture and sale of natural health products (NHPs) and a Natural Health Product Directorate (NHPD) was formed to manage the process. Ten years later, concerns about the implementation and the cost of these regulations are so serious that many NHPs may be either too expensive to purchase or too expensive to manufacture, making them completely unavailable.

In short, excessive government regulations are eroding the rights of Canadians to take care of their own health naturally. For example, on April 4th of this year, without warning or time for the natural health industry or consumer to adequately respond, Health Canada proposed that a cost recovery program be put into place to fund the management of the NHPD. In addition, the cost of NHPs have already begun to increase considerably and will continue to. One such cost goes to the manufacturer who must apply for and obtain a NHP number for each product, similar to the system of drugs getting a Drug Identification Number (DIN). Some very effective supplements have been denied NHP numbers, and our Government is ordering manufacturers to recall these products.

NHPs are not drugs
The cost recovery issue mentioned above is part of a much bigger picture. Promises have been broken-the drug paradigm is being used for natural supplements. Health Canada is now asking for clinical trials, which are not always possible, necessary, or appropriate for NHPs, This, again, will cost more money and slow down the applications for approval.

Since Health Canada did not ask for these trials in the beginning, all of the money that was spent (in good faith) on applications to abide by the new regulations has been wasted and applications have to start again, in addition to the new cost-recovery fees. Even though thousands of products have been submitted for approval very few have been processed and fewer have been issued NHP numbers.

Those of us who, at our own expense, use a more natural approach to healthcare are taking some of the burden off our failing healthcare system. Consumers should be encouraged, not discouraged, to purchase NHPs. Our access should not be limited by increasing the cost, and limiting the availability of the product though unnecessary regulations.

If you want access to your natural health products at a reasonable cost, and if you want to continue to learn about natural options, make yourself heard. Let your Member of Parliament, and Ottawa, know now, and let others know what's happening, too. Email the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health:
Minister_Minstre@hc-sc.gc.ca

Did you know?
In 1997-98, consumers were promised a separate category for natural products, that was not drugs or foods. Today NHPs are a sub-category of drugs.

Treating NHPs as drugs means that both manufacturers and consumers are being compromised financially. Innovation, research and health will suffer.

Safe, effective products that have been used for years in Canada are no longer available, although they are still available and legally sold outside our country.

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