Health Canada is at it again with an alarming new attack on your health rights.
The proposed 2024 Budget Bill includes 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.
To be clear, these are proposed changes to the law. This Budget Bill has not become law yet—which gives us time! It’s crucial to act now to oppose these sections before they become law, as repealing them after is much more challenging.
Under the proposed changes, Health Canada would gain the power to:
- Restrict off-label use of drugs, including natural health products, by medical doctors, health care professionals, natural health practitioners, and even veterinarians.
- Grant exemptions for food and drugs from crucial safety regulations designed to protect against fraud, adulteration, and unsanitary conditions.
- Allow exemptions for food and drugs from safety laws based on selective “parts” of foreign documents.
Just like in 2023, Health Canada is attempting to slip these substantial revisions to the Food and Drugs Act into a Budget Bill, bypassing scrutiny from the Standing Committee on Health. Instead, Budget Bills are reviewed by the Standing Committee on Finance, who lack expertise in matters of Food and Drug law and human health.
It is unacceptable for non-budgetary changes to be buried within budget bills.
We urge you to read Shawn Buckley’s latest Discussion Paper, Alarm Bells in Health Policy: Hidden Changes in Canada’s 2024 Budget and then keep scrolling to take action!
Read The Full Discussion Paper
