HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES & PRACTICES MUST BE PRESERVED.
It’s imperative that we come together in action, or watch our access to safe medicines be further eroded. Together we can make a difference in Health Canada’s trajectory. Get informed so you can confidently take action and ensure the future viability of our industry and the preservation of our health freedoms.
HOMEOPATHY ZOOM CALL WITH SHAWN BUCKLEY
APRIL 8, 2019 @ 8PM ET/5PM PT
IS HOMEOPATHY REALLY UNDER THREAT?
Health Canada published a schedule for the repeal of the Natural Health Products Regulations and has begun implementing strict changes to the regulation of natural health products (NHP). It is not known if or how homeopathic remedies will be regulated, or how endangered they are. Known changes:
- The regulation of natural health products (NHPs) under the same set of regulations as chemical non-prescription drugs.
- NHPs will have to comply with the same standards of evidence as chemical drugs.
- The use of traditional evidence for efficacy claims will be lost for all but the most minor of claims.
- Health claims will be further restricted and controlled.
- Fines for violations will go from $5,000 per offence to $5,000,000 per day an offence happens. Offences include making claims about a product, i.e. telling the truth.
- The future of professional products is in question as:
- claims will not be allowed for any condition for which a person would seek the advice of a health care practitioner (i.e. you), and
- self-care products are intended to treat only the most minor of conditions.
Whereas now it is “functionally” illegal to treat any serious condition with natural products, the Self Care Framework is a move towards making it “functionally” illegal to treat moderate conditions with natural products.
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES & THE COMPOUNDING EXEMPTION ARE AT RISK
Homeopathic remedies are currently licensed based on consistency with homeopathic texts (Materia Medica, etc.). Under the new regime, health claims will need to be supported by approved types of science because Health Canada is concerned about consumer confusion:
[A] non-prescription drug and a homeopathic product could be making a similar claim (such as “relieves cough”) but only the claim on the non-prescription drug would be supported by scientific evidence. In our current system, this difference may not be clear to the consumer because there is no signal on the product label, so these products could appear to consumers as if they are equally effective.[1]
Given political and social climates, nosodes may be the hardest hit, along with all claims related to chronic and/or serious disease. The new regulations will have a significant impact on popular combination remedies prepared by homeopathic pharmacies. It will be noticeable on retail shelves but also for practitioner-grade products like the Unda series, Pekana’s spagyric remedies, tissue salts, and more.
To date, practitioners have enjoyed considerable freedom in practice because of the compounding exemption. They have been able to prescribe natural health products that are not licensed. Homeopaths can request compounding through a homeopathic pharmacy, while others graft or compound in-house. Health Canada has refused to confirm whether the compounding exemption will continue to exist.
LEARN ABOUT ISSUES. PROTECT YOUR FUTURE.
APRIL 8, 2019 @ 8PM ET/5PM PT
[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-regulation-self-care-products/consulting-canadians-regulation-self-care-products-canada.html
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