Institutional links

Topics

• Be Active
• Go Smokefree
• Healthy Pregnancy
• First Nations & Inuit
• Healthy Eating
• Food & Consumer Product Safety
• About Food & Consumer Product Safety
• Food & Consumer Safety Action Plan
• Canadian Food Labelling Initiative
• Resources & Links
• Safety & Injury Prevention
• Search Recalls Database

Helpful Resources

• About Healthy Canadians
• Media Room
• Interactive Tools
• Videos
• Publications

Proactive
Disclosure

Bill C-51 and the Regulation of Natural Health Products - Fast Facts

PDF Version in Mandarin (78.6 KB)

Natural health products are generally considered to be lower-risk but they are not 'no risk.' Canadians benefit from risk-based regulation that promotes continued access to safe, effective and high quality natural health products.

• The vast majority of the natural health product industry develops safe products of high quality. Bill C-51 will help us target the minority who behave irresponsibly.
• Bill C-51 will help ensure that tainted products are found and recalled.
• Bill C-51 will help ensure that what is on the label is actually in the bottle.
• Bill C-51 will help ensure that health claims on packaging are supported by appropriate levels of evidence.

The Natural Health Product Regulations, introduced in 2004, will continue to operate the same way under Bill C-51. Canadians will continue to have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality.

• Natural health products will not be regulated as pharmaceutical drugs; they will continue to be regulated under their own regulations - separate from drugs and foods.
• Bill C-51 will not increase the costs of natural health products.
• Bill C-51 does not regulate growing an herb garden.
• Bill C-51 does not target practitioners who compound products for their patients.
• Bill C-51 does not target Canadians' personal use of natural health products.
• Health food stores will not require a special license to sell natural health products.
• Canadians will not require a prescription from a doctor for natural health products.

Bill C-51 will not result in more compliance and enforcement action taken for regulated products, including natural health products. Action on natural health products will continue to be undertaken according to the product's level of risk, and to the Compliance Policy for Natural Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate's Policy-0001, which sets out this risk-based approach.

• Inspectors will not be able to enter a private home without permission or a warrant.
• Bill C-51 does not enable Health Canada to seize bank accounts.

Related Information

• Proposed Amendments to Bill C-51 - Fact Sheet
• Answers to Your Questions on Natural Health Products and Bill C-51
• Bill C-51 - An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
• About Natural Health Product Regulation in Canada
• Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan
• Prime Minister announces tougher food and product safety legislation to protect Canadian consumers

If you have any questions, or comments on the proposed Action Plan and/or the proposed legislation changes, please contact us by e-mail or by calling 1-866-891-4542.