Natural Health Product (NHP) Licensing Solutions

Is Your Natural Health Product a Food?

Is your Natural Health Product (NHP) sold in a format and serving size consistent with food use? If yes then it may well be moved to the food regulatory framework if it has not already done so. NHPs "in food format" include chewing gums, hard candies, candy bars, tea, juices and beverages.

So what if your NHP is in food format but contains an ingredient governed by NHP Regulations? Furthermore, what if the ingredient is present in levels not acceptable for food and has a health claim?

Regulation of Carvacrol, Active Constituent of Oil of Oregano

The use of Oil or Oregano dates back over 2,000 years and provides a range of health benefits yet the Natural Health Product Directorate (NHPD) assesses applications based on weak (by today's standards) animal toxicity studies from 1931. Should the industry accept such risk-averse policies based on archaic and flawed studies or 'push back'?

Natural Health Products - An Endangered Species?

The natural health products industry seems to be under fire from several groups; Health Canada - who are becoming ever increasingly more stringent, the pharmaceutical industry - for obvious reasons and health care professionals - who generally think natural medicine is “mumbo jumbo”.

A recent editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, alleges that natural health products are not scrutinized enough by the Natural Health Product Directorate (NHPD) and that they should undergo the same assessment as pharmaceuticals.

Would such an assessment regime remove many of the natural health products on the market today?