We practitioners and the community have all been dealing with the impact and implications of the recently passed Bill 36 in British Columbia and most of us at this point are burnt out and distracted, longing for a holiday. Other provinces have not had the same burden we have, perhaps not as exhausted as we are. It takes energy and attention to understand the recently passed Federal Bill C-47, which affects all Canadians.

With the May 2023 proposed approach and the June 2023 regulatory changes, Bill 47 was hastily passed in a few short weeks, right before senate closed for the summer. Section 500 to 504 was buried in this financial bill. The rapid pace, calendar timing at the end of June and no apparent public notification of this regulatory change is highly suspicious, particularly in a sector which is highly contentious.

Health Canada is purporting that low risk natural health products need to be regulated at the same standard and with the same enforcement tools and rigor as pharmaceuticals and biologics.

In a few short weeks I have taken time and effort to try to understand and inform myself of the implications of the “Self Care Framework” by Health Canada. This bill, once fully implemented, will lead to a tremendous price hike in natural products as well as the closing of the smaller and local manufacturers of these products, as well as companies pulling out of Canada (which has already begun). This will leave us with far fewer products available on the market.

Once fully implemented. this stands to have a significant impact on your access to natural health products as well as the practitioners you have come to depend on.

Bill C-47 has passed as law already. The regulations at this point have not been finalized. We have a little time to push back.

The situation is rather dire and we need your help.

The core three issues are that Health Canada believes that natural health products impose similar risk as the pharmaceutical and biological medicine industry and wishes them to have the same regulatory framework.. There are changes to the food and drug act and the definition of a drug. The new regulations will demand greater packaging with less recyclability putting an added burden on the environment.

Requiring all natural health products regardless of risk level or years/millennia of anecdotal safety evidence to undergo the same regulatory standards as pharmaceuticals appears to be an unnecessary and a very heavy handed application of the precautionary principle and is not risk based.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has a 3000 year old history. Small and medium sized herb stores in Chinatown Vancouver which have served the local community for decades will be forced out of business. Indigenous medicine culture for which we are grateful to have learned much of what is modern herbal medicine today, existed long before Health Canada was on the scene.

I connected with Vancouver East MP Jenny Quan last week who took notes and expressed concern but little understanding of the possible impact of the legislation overall and on the Chinese community in Vancouver. She also stated I was the first person to approach her on this issue.

Health Canada’s stated role is to help me as a Canadian to maintain and improve my health while respecting my individual choices and circumstances. I realize speaking out politically is quite scary, and I will try to give you a few simple options:

Save our Supplements (https://www.saveoursupplements.ca/) is the CHFA (Canadian health food association) is a place you can get further information and send a prewritten letter directly to your MP. This is a simple and quick but less effective than below.
The National Health Products Protection Association (nhppa.org) is a site where you can sign a petition, learn more and connect to their Action Kits where you can learn how to build a templated letter or a custom letter. Custom and heart-felt letters will always have impact on our leaders.
Visit the Eastern Currents Website (https://www.easterncurrents.ca/). Eastern currents is a distributor and supporter of Traditional Chinese medicine herbal products and supplies the Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner community. Here you will find a valuable information including a call to action, sample letters to your Member of Parliament.
Call or visit your local Member of Parliament. Tell them in person how important your natural health products have been to you and that you do not want to lost them or pay high fees for them. Try your best to do this in person and don’t be put off by offers of zoom or telephone. Unless you can’t do otherwise, visit in person and leave your heartfelt letter with them after your visit. If you cannot get to them in person, make a short video of yourself or your loved ones expressing how this matters and post to your social media tagging all the politicians you can to raise their awareness of this issue. Or go in person, and send a video.
Spread the word! Please, time is running out. We need the public to get behind these changes and stop the heavy handed strategy of Health Canada which is not risk based. It is not modern nor does it implement a regime that is in keeping with the issues and risks.

Thank you for any part you can take in helping us push back on this unjustified and damaging legislation.

Time is running out. Let’s make things right for all Canadians.

- Dr. D