441-02376 (Health)

Health Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to NHPs that are safe and of high quality.

While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.

In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.

In an effort to make the NHP market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently expanded Vanessa’s Law to include NHPs, providing the Department with more tools to address health and safety risks when they arise. By expanding Vanessa’s Law the Department will be able to better manage serious health and safety risks relating to NHPs, such as the ability to require a recall of products on the market if they are considered unsafe. These new authorities would only be used if a serious risk to health is identified and if a company refuses to cooperate with voluntary measures.  

Health Canada has also recently introduced new labelling requirements to make NHP labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. The Department will be engaging further on the guidance for the new labelling regulations to identify additional flexibilities to support industry in implementing the new requirements and minimize costs.

Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products whose regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers. In 2023, Health Canada proposed fees that would allow it to begin recouping a portion of the cost of the services it provides to industry, such as evaluating applications for products before they are authorized for sale, and monitoring these products once they are on the market.

During the initial consultation from May to August 2023, Health Canada received thousands of comments. The Department heard concerns that overall fee amounts were too high and that fees should be brought in at a staggered pace to make the fees more manageable for companies. After analyzing these comments, the Department revised its fee proposal. This includes significantly reducing fees and easing the introduction of fees through a phased-in approach over seven years, while maintaining the rebates for small businesses. 

The revised fee proposal continues to be guided by Health Canada’s objective of protecting the health and safety of Canadians. In response to stakeholder requests, Health Canada extended the comment period on its revised fee proposal from 30 to 60 days, until May 25, 2024. Ultimately, these initiatives are not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.