Natural health product regulations: perceptions and impact

Health Canada's Natural Health Products Directorate introduced regulations in January 2004 concerning the production and sale of natural health products. The implementation period for the regulations will last until 2010. During this period, further regulatory changes may occur. One recommended change is greater distinction between foods and NHPs. This paper provides an overview of the current regulations, outlines ambiguities and explains the potential impacts on various stakeholders including industry, consumers, pharmacists and complementary health care providers. Overall the NHP regulations are an important step towards improving the quality of NHPs and giving consumers additional information with which to make more informed decisions about these products.