Dear Editor,

This open letter is in response to the many inquiries and concerns my office has received about perceived impacts of Bill C-51 (which amends the Food and Drugs Act) on Natural Health Products. I raised those concerns with the Minister of Health.

Natural Health Products are not regulated as food or as drugs; they have been regulated as a unique category since 2004. Bill C-51 does not contemplate any changes to the Natural Health Products Regulations. The intention of the Bill and Regulations is to facilitate access to safe and effective Natural Health Products rather than keep them from Canadians. Information on the Natural Health Products Regulations can be found at http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showdoc
/cr/SOR-2003-196///en?page=1.

Bill C-51 is part of our Government’s commitment to ensure that food and products that are available in the Canadian Market are safe. Unfortunately there have been cases of adulterated Natural Health Products, such as the pills “Sleepees” that were the subject of national media stories. C-51 would target those who would break the law and put the health of Canadians at risk.

I want to clarify the term ‘therapeutic product’ in the legislation. This term is general in nature because it includes drugs, natural health products, medical devices, veterinary drugs, and 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 regulations to make this possible for Natural Health Products have been working now for five years.

There has also been some misunderstanding regarding the approach of government toward Natural Health Products. I want to clarify that C-51 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 would not be required. On the other hand, the legislation also requires vigilance to ensure that tainted products are recalled, that what is on the label is actually in the bottle, and that health claims are supported by evidence.

I believe the intent of the bill is good and that safe Natural Health Products will still be available to Canadians at no additional cost. I do support the bill going to Committee to be critiqued. I also look forward to additional comments from Langley constituents.

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

Sincerely,
Mark Warawa, MP Langley
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment