Tory Bill Aiming to Protect Natural Health Supplements Passes Second Reading

Natural health products at a pharmacy in Toronto in a file photo. Angelo Cordeschi/Shutterstock

A private member’s bill meant to head off Liberal government legislation that could intensify regulation of natural health products has passed second reading in Parliament.

The Conservative bill would amend the federal Food and Drugs Act to stipulate that natural health products are not the same as therapeutic products. It’s meant to counter the Liberal government’s Bill C-47, which contains provisions that allow Health Canada to regulate natural health products in the same way as synthetic medications.

“Existing regulations on health supplements already keep Canadians safe,” Conservative MP Blaine Calkins, who introduced Bill C-368, said in a press release. “This new red tape is about giving more power to Ottawa, and not about protecting Canadians.”

Under the legislation, natural health products would no longer be exempt from Vanessa’s Law, which gives Health Canada the power to require mandatory reporting of serious adverse drug reactions, order drug recalls, and require drug companies to revise labels and do further testing.

The new regulations in Bill C-47 also impose fees on the import, manufacturing and sale of natural health products. Health Canada also has the authority to require drug label changes or package modifications, order companies to disclose confidential business information if a product presents a serious health risk, and impose fines of up to $5 million for products deemed unsafe.

Many small and medium-sized businesses would not survive the legislative changes, and Canadians would lose access to natural health products, according to a 2023 report by the Natural Health Products Protection Association.

“Unless Canadians step up to stop this, this is the end of non-pharmaceutical health care,” the association said.

Approximately 70 percent of Canadians regularly use natural health products to maintain their health or prevent minor health issues, according to a 2021 report by the Auditor General. However, the report also found Health Canada’s oversight of the products “fell short of ensuring that products were safe and effective,” and that oversight of manufacturing sites and the monitoring of products once on the market left consumers “exposed to potential health and safety risks.”

Health Canada did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment.

Private Member’s Bill

Bill C-368 would define natural health products as different from therapeutic products, meaning they would not be subject to the same monitoring regime as other drugs in Canada.

Mr. Calkins, who introduced the bill in December 2023, called the new rules around natural health products a “direct attack on Canadian consumers and small businesses.”

He cited a May 2023 survey from the Canadian Health Food Association that found more than 75 percent of brands said they might need to withdraw products from the market due to the new legislation, while one in five were considering leaving Canada.

“Existing regulations already ensure the safety of these natural health products,” Mr. Calkins said in a December 2023 press release. “Liberals introduced changes that are not just bureaucratic red tape, they are chains that bind the hands of our entrepreneurs, stifling innovation and limiting consumer choice.”

After passing second reading, Bill C-368 will go before the Standing Committee on Health for further consideration.