In the 2023 Budget (Bill C-47), Health Canada snuck in key changes to the Food and Drugs Act that will further restrict our ability to access natural health products. In the 2024 Budget (Bill C-69), Health Canada was at it again.
The 2024 Budget Bill—which became law on June 20, 2024—included amendments that grant Health Canada unprecedented regulatory authority over off-label uses of drugs and natural health products, significantly affecting medical professionals’ and natural health practitioners’ ability to provide effective healthcare, and our ability as members of the public to access these vital treatment options.
Just like in 2023, Health Canada slipped these substantial revisions to the Food and Drugs Act into a Budget Bill, bypassing scrutiny from the Standing Committee on Health. Instead, as with all Budget Bills, this Bill was reviewed by the Standing Committee on Finance, who lack expertise in matters of Food and Drug law and human health.
It’s unacceptable for non-budgetary changes to be buried within budget bills.
