Health Canada is moving forward with the Self-Care Framework which will repeal the Natural Health Products Regulations and regulate natural health products under a single set of regulations with chemical non-prescription drugs and cosmetics.
Health Canada has made it clear that once NHPs are regulated with chemical non-prescription drugs as Self-Care products, that natural health companies will be charged fees for licensing (i.e. there will be cost recovery). Health Canada’s rationale is that they cannot continue to charge the chemical drug companies fees, and not charge natural health companies fees, when both are under the same regulations with the same requirements for licensing.
Cost recovery threatens the accessibility of NHPs in Canada by potentially pushing small and medium sized NHP manufacturers out of business, and by driving up the costs to consumers of products that remain on the market.
