1. Health Canada, in conjunction with a new separate Natural Health Products Expert Advisory Committee (EAC), set out an appropriate definition of natural health products (NHPs) and amend the Food and Drugs Act accordingly.
Status:
- The NHP definition was developed by NHPD with the assistance of the EAC.
- The definition takes into consideration various concerns and suggestions expressed during consultations held by the NHPD.
- NHPs are defined in the Regulations to include traditional medicines, homeopathic medicines, vitamins and minerals, herbal remedies , probiotics, amino acids, plant isolates and essential fatty acids (like Omega-3). NHPs are also defined to exclude prescription drugs, drugs administered by puncturing the skin and substances that are regulated by the Tobacco Act or scheduled under certain other regulatory schemes like the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
The Act wasn't amended to set up a new category -- the regs were amended to make natural health products drugs...
NHPs are drugs at the level of the Food and Drugs Act. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/regs_cg2_doc10_e.html
From the regs...
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/regs_cg2_doc1_e.html
"natural health product" means a substance set out in Schedule 1 or a combination
of substances in which all the medicinal ingredients are substances set out in
Schedule 1, a homeopathic medicine or a traditional medicine, that is manufactured, sold or
represented for use in
- the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease, disorder or abnormal physical state or its symptoms in humans;
- restoring or correcting organic functions in humans; or
- modifying organic functions in humans, such as modifying those functions in a manner that maintains or promotes health.
However, a natural health product does not include a substance set out in
Schedule 2, any combination of substances that includes a substance set out in
Schedule 2 or a homeopathic medicine or a traditional medicine that is or
includes a substance set out in Schedule 2. (produit de sant� naturel)
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/nhpd-dpsn/regs_cg2_doc9_e.html#1
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