Kim Godard
Director General, Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate, Department of Health
Opening remarks
Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for the opportunity to appear before you today. Health Canada welcomes the opportunity to participate in the study of Bill C‑224 to provide context on Canada's regulatory framework for natural health products, or NHPs. Canada's NHP sector is vibrant and innovative, contributing over $13 billion annually to the Canadian economy. It includes a broad range of participants, from small, Canadian-owned retailers to manufacturers, distributors and importers, many of which operate internationally. Health Canada is committed to ensuring that NHPs available to Canadians are safe and effective, and of high quality. We play a critical role in protecting Canadians by regulating products used daily to improve and maintain health, including probiotics, herbal remedies, vitamins and minerals, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines, and other products such as amino acids and essential fatty acids. While natural health products are often perceived as lower risk, they are not without risk and require measured oversight. From experience, we know that harm may arise from undeclared ingredients, contaminants, inaccurate labelling,…