Stop Health Canada From Taking Away Your Natural Health Products
The Natural Health Products (NHP) industry in Canada is facing significant regulatory changes that could have detrimental effects on consumers and the industry itself. With 71% of Canadians using NHPs as part of their proactive health and well-being, the proposed regulations threaten to lead to soaring prices and the disappearance of popular products in Canada.
According to surveys conducted among NHP brands, over 75% believe there is a high chance they will need to withdraw their products from the Canadian market due to the new regulations. This could result in empty shelves and out-of-stock issues for many beloved brands.
An annual fee of $542 is being proposed for every product with a natural product number (NPN). Some companies have hundreds of products with separate NPN’s, which could result in $100,000’s of extra annual costs that would have to be passed on to the consumer. Furthermore, approximately 1 out of 5 companies are seriously considering exiting the Canadian market altogether, indicating the potential loss of exciting new products and international brands.
The regulatory changes are financially burdensome and threaten to stifle innovation and research within the industry. The complex regulations and lengthy approval processes may price small businesses out of the market, limiting choice for Canadian consumers and hindering the introduction of new and beneficial NHP formulations.
For example, a Mom-and-Pop small business entrepreneur may come up with a novel natural supplement but might have to pay up to $58,332 just to apply for an NPN review which ultimately may not get approved. Once approved, an NHP site license fee could cost from $23,000 to $40,000 annually. This fee is based on the most expensive fee category of sites and a one-size-fits-all fee, whether it’s one site with one product or 20 sites with hundreds of products.
Large multinational companies like Nestle, Bayer, and Procter & Gamble are buying up NHP companies. The over-regulated government changes will treat NHPs like pharmaceutical drugs. It may only be larger companies that can afford the new government fee structure. In the past, I had wondered if the NHP industry would be able to influence and change these larger companies or if these larger companies will negatively change the NHP industry… I think I know the answer.
The proposed regulatory changes are likely to have a devastating impact on the NHP industry with soaring prices and the potential disappearance of popular products. It is crucial for Health Canada to consider the unintended consequences of these regulations and engage in meaningful consultation with industry stakeholders to find a balanced approach that ensures consumer safety while supporting the growth and accessibility of NHPs.
I encourage anyone who cares about natural health products to tell your member of Parliament to #SaveOurSupplements. We need to act quickly as the consultation process ends on July 26, 2023. Please visit SaveOurSupplements.ca for more information.
Lyle Sunada is a compounding pharmacist and NAMS Certified Menopause Practitioner specializing in hormone balancing and alternative medicine at Cloverdale Pharmasave. He specializes in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use.
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