June 18, 2008 Natural Health Coalition opposes Bill C-51

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June 18, 2008 Natural Health Coalition opposes Bill C-51 Filed under: Uncategorized — johnb98 @ 11:45 pm Stroke survivor Richard Martin depends upon vitamin supplements for his recovery. But if Bill C-51 passes, he may no longer have access to natural health products without a prescription. The 81-year-old takes a multi-vitamin, vitamin B complex, vitamin C and E and disagrees with the government’s approach to regulating supplements. Years ago, when Martin developed angina, he used vitamin E to eliminate the attacks. Since angina is a symptom of heart disease, there’s good reason to believe that vitamin E can help relieve angina pain. And in fact, British researchers found that people who had the lowest levels of vitamin E in their blood were 2½ times more likely to have angia than those who had the highest levels. Almost three in every four Canadians consume natural health products, spending $2.5-billion annually on these largely unregulated products. Yet prescription and non-prescription drugs have strict quality standards, must submit rigorous scientific evidence of their safety, and their ability to advertise is quite constrained. Currently, there are approximately 21,240 drugs marketed in Canada, including 5,800 prescription drugs, 9,500 non-prescription drugs and 5,300 natural health products. Bill C-51, the proposed legislation to update the Food and Drugs Act, will treat natural health products in the same way as prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs. But the Canadian Natural Health Coalition (CNHC) believes the Bill presents a direct threat to the rights of Canadians to access safe, effective and low cost natural health products. “This legislation is just the latest assault by Health Canada, intended to restrict the freedom of Canadians to choose natural health products,” said Brett Hawes, Executive Member Canadian Natural Health Coalition, at a rally held Saturday on the north side of Natural Health Coalition opposes Bill C-51 « Toronto Social Justice Magazine http://johnb98.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/natural-health-coalition-opposes-bill-c-51/[21/04/2009 2:59:12 PM] Queen’s Park. If passed, Hawes said Bill C-51 would give enormous powers to Health Canada certain to be used to strangle and marginalize natural health products. “Health Canada has always been hostile to natural health products,” he said. “Bill C-51 will provide them with the weaponry to complete the job.” The government argues that the vast majority of the natural health product industry develops safe products of high quality. Yet Bill C-51 will help them target the minority who behave irresponsibly, help ensure that tainted products are found and recalled; help ensure that what is on the label is actually in the bottle; and help ensure that health claims on packaging are supported by appropriate levels of evidence. Under Bill C-51, Health Canada says Canadians will continue to have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality but will not result in more compliance and enforcement action taken. Inspectors will neither be able to enter a private home without permission or warrant nor will Health Canada be able to seize bank accounts. “This is just another example of how Health Canada refuses to acknowledge that natural health products are not drugs,” said Hawes. “They are not drugs and they don’t belong in the same category.” Eventually, added Hawes, natural health products will be available by prescription only. With long clinical trials and years to obtain market authorization, Hawes predicts that small companies will be put out of business, paving the way for pharmaceutical companies to take over the natural health products industry. Nutritional consultant Darko Prce said natural health products are already some of the most stringently controlled food and health products in the world, adding they’re regulated more stringently than “dangerous” pharmaceutical drugs. “There has not been one documented case of illness or death from the proper use of health care products in recorded history,” said Prce. “On the contrary, pharmeucital drugs have been shown to be the leading cause of death in North America as Dr. Carolyn Dean has outlined in her compelling book ‘Death by Modern Medicine’.” Prce pointed out that a small percentage of drugs, which are being disguised as herbs, are sold on the black market. “This has nothing to do with herbs like ginger, rosemary, argeano and basil, which are Natural Health Coalition opposes Bill C-51 « Toronto Social Justice Magazine http://johnb98.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/natural-health-coalition-opposes-bill-c-51/[21/04/2009 2:59:12 PM] purchased or grown for personal consumption by Canadians in their own backyards,” he said. “Bill C-51 intends to take away the rights of Canadians to access safe use of herbs and natural remedies for the prevention, treatment and reversal of disease. We find this unconstitutional, illegal and bordering on criminal behaviour.” In a recent editorial, Health Minister Tony Clement wrote that Bill C- 51 does not target natural health products; it also covers products including drugs, medical devices, cells and tissues and organs, vaccines and veterinary drugs. The Bill provides crucial updates to the Food and Drug Act, which had not been updated in about 50 years. Clement also wrote that Bill C-50 does not include any changes to the Natural Health Products Regulations, which have been in force since Jan. 1, 2004. Moreover, the intention of the Bill and Regulations is to facilitate access to safe and effective natural health products, for all Canadians who desire them. “Those who allege that this legislation will reduce access to common vitamins and herbal products are simply spreading misinformation,” wrote Clement. “The Bill is still before the House of Commons and we look forward to hearing more from Canadians and industry partners.” Still, Canadian medical science writer Helke Ferrie said Bill C-51 is similar to U.S. Senate Bill S.1082, legislation that could allow its regulatory powers to threaten free access to dietary supplements and functional foods. “Bill C-51 and C-52 are anchored in international globalization efforts that do not include us,” said Ferrie. But Ferrie believes C-51 and C-52 are in contravention of the Canadian Charter of Rights and urged supporters to explore a charter challenge to the proposed bills. Susan Kho, a Chinese herbal medicine doctor, fears that Bill C-51 will gradually eliminate alternative medical practises such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture and homeopathy. “In the past few years, the number of people moving to TCM has increased dramatically,” said Kho. “So we have to stop Bill C-51 now.” “Our current health care system is somewhat in crisis,” said CNHC Executive Member Brett Hawes. “This Bill could potentially cripple things even more.”