Health Canada publishes consultation feedback on the proposed Self-Care Framework 

Canadians use self-care products every day to maintain health, treat minor ailments, improve appearance or generally care for themselves and their families.

Today, Health Canada released a What We Heard report summarizing the feedback received during online consultations on policy proposals to modernize the regulations governing self-care products.

Health Canada is looking to modernize the way it regulates self-care products, which include cosmetics, natural health products and non-prescription drugs in order to maintain the safety, efficacy and quality of these products.

The way these products are presented and marketed in many stores, as well as the health claims they make, can make it hard for some consumers to tell them apart. Three different sets of rules apply to these products, each with their own requirements and oversight.

Health Canada wants to modernize and improve how self-care products are regulated so that consumers continue to have access to a wide range of safe and effective products while improving their ability to make informed choices about the products they use.

Health Canada is proposing to do this with a modernized Self-Care Framework, which would build on the current system’s strengths while ensuring a fair and consistent oversight approach. Products that are alike would have the same level of regulatory oversight, and that level of oversight would be determined by a product’s level of risk.

Public consultations on the initial policy proposals took place online from September 7, 2016, to October 24, 2016. Many participants saw considerable value in the clarity that a modernized approach would provide. Others were concerned about the potential impact on product prices and availability. Based on what we heard, Health Canada is already thinking of ways to improve the initial proposal.

This feedback will help inform changes to the approach, as will further consultations over the coming months. We encourage interested parties to continue sharing their ideas, which will help us develop an approach that is both modern and effective.

For more information about upcoming in-person and online consultations, please visit our website.
 

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