MP standing up for natural health products

June 20, 2008

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/opinion/letters/20580524.html

June 19, 2008

In the two and a half years since I was elected Member of Parliament for Victoria I have never received as many letters, as many telephone calls or as many visits from Victoria residents on an issue as I have on Bill C-51.

Tabled by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government in early April of this year, Bill C-51 is intended to tighten regulations for the way pharmaceutical drugs are marketed to Canadians. But, and this is what has angered the 300-plus Victoria-area folks who have contacted my office, it encompasses natural health products in the legislation.

Tony Clement, the federal health minister, has come under fire from consumers, practitioners and retailers regarding how natural health products are being dealt with in Bill C-51. Mr. Clement says that there is no truth to fears that something as well-known as Vitamin C could fall in the legislation’s sweeping path and that concerns are just being raised by “a bunch of people that are trying to scare other people.”

But I am not convinced that there is no basis for concern, unless this bill is seriously amended. Although Bill C-51 has some positive goals intended to keep Canadians safe, as it reads now the bill will not prevent tragic incidents from occurring such as what happened in 2004 when Vioxx had to be pulled from shelves. It will also further open the door to American-style pharmaceutical advertising rather than ensure Canadians have an independent source of information about the pharmaceutical products they take. My NDP colleagues and I are also concerned that it imposes the same restrictions necessary for the pharmaceutical industry on the natural health product industry. Rather than lumping natural health products with pharmaceutical drugs under the term “therapeutic products,” as this bill proposes, instead there should be a third category for natural health products. Natural health products merit a separate regulatory framework to ensure safety

and continued success in helping Canadians live healthy lives.

There is also concern from many naturopathic doctors who have contacted me that natural health products would only be available by prescription; and this, of course, would raise costs for consumers. Because naturopathic doctors are not allowed to issue prescriptions in Canada, this legislation raises fears which must be allayed through a comprehensive study at the standing committee on Health.

My NDP colleagues and I are listening to the thousands of Canadians who have contacted their members of Parliament worried about whether pharmaceuticals will be given an advantage over natural health products sales. Natural health products are a fundamental element in disease prevention and treatment but are distinctly different from food or drugs and should be treated as such.

Bill C-51 has been tabled pending further examination by the Health Committee and is not likely to be heard in the House of Commons until the fall. When it does my colleagues and I will press for a thorough review and that a full range of witnesses be heard. As the Member of Parliament, be assured I will continue to relay your concerns on this important issue.

Denise Savoie is the Member of Parliament for Victoria. Join the Blue Ribbon Online Free Speech Campaign!