Message from the Minister of Health - Celiac Awareness Month - May 2016
Statement
As Minister of Health and as a physician, I know how important it is to shed light on the health challenges Canadians face. Each year in May, we recognize Celiac Awareness Month, a disease that affects approximately 1 in 133 Canadians, with more people being diagnosed annually as awareness of this disease continues to grow.
Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gluten, which is a protein found in wheat and other grains like barley and rye. The only effective treatment for the disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. We are fortunate to live in a country with a food system that is among the safest in the world. That is why Health Canada is committed to making food, healthy and safe and more accessible to Canadians with food allergies and intolerances, including those who must follow a gluten-free diet.
To help Canadians affected by Celiac disease, food can be labelled as gluten-free if the manufacturer can guarantee that it has not had gluten added to it or come into contact with gluten through cross contamination during processing. In short, Canada’s regulations ensure that food labelled as gluten-free, is in fact gluten-free.
I encourage you to visit Health Canada's website which has more information about Celiac disease. It contains several resources that may be helpful to those that are affected by it. Since Celiac disease can develop at any age, all Canadians should take some time this month to learn more about this disease.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Jane Philpott, P.C., M.P.
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