Natural health product regulation in Canada: Overview
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About natural health product regulations
All NHPs are regulated under the Natural Health Products Regulations, which is a separate and distinct regulatory framework from prescription drugs. NHPs are regulated in a manner appropriate for the lower-risk nature of these products which include:
- herbal remedies
- some sunscreens
- vitamins and minerals
People in Canada use these products every day, to care for themselves and their families. That's why it's vital that they are safe and of high quality.
Under the regulations, companies that manufacture, package, label or import NHPs must:
- hold valid product and site licences
- follow good manufacturing practices (GMP) requirements
Learn more
- Good manufacturing practices guidance document
- Clinical trials for natural health products guidance document
- Quality of natural health products guidance document
- Evidence for homeopathic medicines guidance document
- Report an adverse reaction
- Labelling of natural health products guidance document
Improving the oversight of natural health products
While NHPs are generally lower risk products, they aren't without risk.
Health Canada works continuously to create a safer marketplace for people in Canada. This includes introducing new regulatory and legislative changes to improve the safety of NHPs and respond to a changing marketplace.
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.
The audit identified the need for:
- increased oversight of the quality of NHPs
- greater monitoring of labels and advertising
- improved product labelling
- a risk-based inspection program
- strengthened tools for compliance and enforcement
Health Canada accepted all audit recommendations and committed to addressing them.
Health Canada identified key initiatives for the NHP program:
- improved NHP labelling
- extending the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (Vanessa's Law) to NHPs
- NHP inspection program
- NHP cost recovery
Related links
- Interim Order Concerning the Sale of Certain Natural Health Products Containing Ephedrine or Pseudoephedrine
- Explanatory note on the Interim Order Concerning the Sale of Certain Natural Health Products Containing Ephedrine or Pseudoephedrine
- Notice of Intent to address risks of youth appeal and access to nicotine replacement therapies
- About natural health products
- What's new: Natural and non-prescription health products
- Information on homeopathic products
- Licensed Natural Health Products Database
- Natural Health Products Ingredients Database
- Self-care products
- Food and Drugs Act Liaison Office
- Contact the Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate
- About the Natural Health Product Directorate
- Government Response to the Report of the Standing Committee on Health
- Industry and Professionals
- Information Kit - Regulation of Natural Health Products
- Natural Health Products - Over 43,000 Products authorized for sale and growing
- Natural Health Products: 53 Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Health (archived)