Health product advertising incidents: Proactive monitoring – Natural health products
Natural health products are substances or combinations of substances used to restore or maintain good health.
A Government of Canada audit in 2021 found that Health Canada monitored advertisements in response to complaints instead of monitoring the market using a risk-based approach.
Learn more:
- Report on natural health products by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
In response to this audit, Health Canada undertook an assessment to determine the feasibility of implementing a proactive monitoring surveillance of natural health product advertisements. To assess feasibility, Health Canada launched two pilots.
A web scraping tool was used to search online content, including websites, e-commerce platforms, and social media, for natural health product advertisements making claims related to serious diseases (e.g. diseases listed in Schedule A.1 of the Food and Drugs Act). From June 2021 to December 2021, the focus was on advertising incidents related to unauthorized cancer-related claims. The focus shifted to unauthorized claims related to obesity, acute anxiety, and severe depression from February 2023 to October 2023.
Health Canada has addressed all incidents through the appropriate compliance and enforcement actions, and they are now considered resolved.
The following table summarizes these non-compliant natural health product advertising incidents.
Including a product in this table does not mean the manufacturer was involved in the non-compliant advertising or that the advertising materials originated from the third-party seller.
If you have questions about the incidents in the summary table, email us at drug-device-marketing@hc-sc.gc.ca.
| Date received | Company/organization | Product |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-21 | Innovus | Diabasens |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Deep immune |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Canprev vitamin d3 |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | New roots n-acetyl cysteine |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Host defense my community comprehensive immune support |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Livon lipospheric vitamin c |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Purica immune 7 |
| 2020-04-06 | Vitasave | Canprev vitamin a |
| 2020-06-03 | Vitasave | Bell virux viral infection |
| 2020-11-02 | Pascoe Canada | Neurapas balance |
| 2021-02-25 | 1St Phorm | Various products |
| 2021-03-22 | Pascoe Canada | Neurapas balance |
| 2021-03-23 | A. Vogel | A.vogel echinaforce® extra echibacea tablets |
| 2021-03-23 | Nuun | Various |
| 2021-03-23 | Ebramin | Bell virux capsules |
| 2021-04-08 | Imi Supplements | Vital nutrients zinc citrate |
| 2021-05-03 | Bell Lifestyle Products | Virux viral infections |
| 2021-06-16 | Healthy Planet | Olive leaf |
| 2021-07-14 | Wellness Market | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Natural Vitamin Direct Inc. | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Natures Essence | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Bms Resources | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Aor - Advanced Orthomolecular Research | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Nutrition Junction | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Nutrition Plus | Pancreatine |
| 2021-07-14 | Well | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Her Best Health | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Popeye Canada | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Body Energy Club | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Win In Health | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Well | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Ave Maria Specialities | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Lifestyle Markets | Ultimate prostate support |
| 2021-07-14 | Poedik | Well told health anti-inflammatory |
| 2021-07-14 | Optimum Health Vitamins | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Ki Nature Et Sante | Health first vitamin d supreme |
| 2021-07-14 | Bms Resources | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Real House Canada | Health for prostate |
| 2021-07-14 | Good Nature Health Foods | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Srh Health Foods | Various products |
| 2021-07-14 | Organic Planet Online | Various products |
| 2021-07-22 | Optimize Nutrition | Various products |
| 2021-07-22 | White Cross Dispensary,Pharmachoice | Various products |
| 2021-07-22 | Biomed International Products Corp | Various products |
| 2021-08-04 | Canadian Ginseng Farm | Various products |
| 2021-08-04 | Sloan Natural Health Center | Broccogen 10, cardana,melatonin,myomin |
| 2021-08-04 | Jamieson Laboratories Ltd./ Nutricorp International | Vitamin d spray |
| 2021-08-04 | Health Works | Various products |
| 2021-08-09 | World Let Eco Shop | Alora naturals - liquid vitamin d3 |
| 2021-08-18 | C6 | Webber natural vitamin d3 1000ui |
| 2021-09-02 | Medicaherbal | Various products |
| 2021-09-02 | Natural Focus Health Food And Wellness Store | Various products |
| 2021-09-02 | Gagne En Sante | Various products |
| 2021-09-02 | Shinylife | Various products |
| 2021-09-09 | Hercs | Various products |
| 2021-09-09 | Superior Supps | Aor liquid vitamin d3 - 50 ml |
| 2021-09-16 | Pure Integrative Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2021-09-16 | Paris Natural Food | Various products |
| 2021-09-16 | The Casual Gourmet | Anti-inflammatory |
| 2021-09-22 | Vitarock | Various products |
| 2021-09-26 | Vitepro | Various products |
| 2021-09-29 | Sisu Inc. | Multi expecting |
| 2021-09-30 | Aviva Natural Health Solutions | Various products |
| 2021-09-30 | Aviva Health | Various products |
| 2021-10-06 | Healthy Body Nutrition | Various products |
| 2021-10-14 | Core Supplements & Food Bar | Prairie naturals vitamin d3 2500iu 550 softgels |
| 2021-10-19 | Well Well Well | Double strength curcumin, theracurmin tm |
| 2021-10-21 | Natural Vibe | Various products |
| 2021-10-21 | Inside U | Various products |
| 2021-10-21 | Shop Alive | Various products |
| 2021-10-21 | Simpsons Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2021-10-25 | Healthtree | Various products |
| 2021-10-27 | Canada Health And Wellness | Umac (unique marine algae concentrate) core, umac (unique marine algae concentrate) core liquid |
| 2021-10-27 | Rachelle Bery Online Store | Various products |
| 2021-10-27 | Pharmacy Kristapore Manoukian | Well told health anti-inflammatory |
| 2021-10-28 | Beyond Nutrition | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | Good Health Naturally | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | Ambrosia Express | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | Health Snap | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | Joy Viva By 8 West Clinic | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | Nature Sante | Various products |
| 2021-10-28 | My Health Essentials | Various products |
| 2021-11-04 | Chamjon | Brazil acai 7 100x 200mg 200 vcaps, nutridom aronia 2000 300 caps |
| 2021-11-04 | Liberty Supplements | Lorna vanderhaeghe adrenasmart |
| 2021-11-04 | Vtmn Packs Inc. | Various products |
| 2021-11-04 | Honey And Ginger | Various products |
| 2021-11-04 | Naturaheal | Various products |
| 2021-11-11 | Le Monde Au Naturel | Various products |
| 2021-11-12 | Level Above Nutrition | Various products |
| 2021-11-12 | Land Art | Various products |
| 2021-11-12 | Natures Vibe Natural Health Centre | Various products |
| 2021-11-18 | Coal Harbour Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2021-11-18 | Assured Natural Distribution Inc | Various products |
| 2021-11-18 | Sisu Inc | Various products |
| 2021-11-18 | Proline Nutrition | Active men |
| 2021-11-18 | Naturally Fit | Carbon fiber |
| 2021-11-18 | Genuine Wellness | Natural factors fresh kelp extract 50 ml |
| 2021-11-18 | Now Foods | Now burdock root (430 mg - 100 caps) |
| 2021-11-18 | Natural Factors Nutritional Products Limited | Natural factors betacareall ( 25,000iu - 180 caps) |
| 2021-11-18 | Prairie Naturals Health Products | Various products |
| 2021-11-18 | Natures Way Canada | Natures way blessed thistle (100 caps) |
| 2021-11-18 | Viva Pharmaceutical Inc | Various products |
| 2021-11-25 | Health Hut | Various products |
| 2021-11-25 | True Health Canada | Wild oil of oregano |
| 2021-11-25 | Raw Elements | Warrior blend chocolate protein |
| 2021-11-25 | Papillon Foods | Various products |
| 2021-12-01 | Popeye's Supplements Winnipeg | Various products |
| 2021-12-14 | The Health Depot | Various products |
| 2021-12-14 | Lecapucin | Flax hull lignans - 200 g, loclo - 342 g |
| 2021-12-14 | Body Fuel Organics | Pure-le baby vitamin d3 drops |
| 2021-12-14 | Monde A Vie | Corolus versicolor |
| 2022-01-19 | Supplement Source | Various products |
| 2022-01-26 | Nutrichem | Theracurmin |
| 2022-01-26 | Village Vitamin Store | Various products |
| 2022-01-26 | Hollow Reed Holistic | Semet |
| 2022-01-26 | Shop Alive | Vitamin d3 & k2 |
| 2022-01-26 | New Roots Herbal | Pau d'arco (tincture), vitamin c plus |
| 2022-01-26 | Pure Nature Nutrition | Various products |
| 2022-01-27 | Iherb | Various products |
| 2022-02-02 | Goodnessme | Various products |
| 2022-02-02 | Healthtree | Siberian ginseng, herbalfactors® 250 mg capsules |
| 2022-03-04 | Svn Canada | Various products |
| 2022-03-04 | The Organic Grocer | Various products |
| 2022-04-08 | High Level Wellness | Various products |
| 2022-04-08 | Berryfirst Canada | Saskatoon berry |
| 2022-04-13 | A Fleur De Vie | Various products |
| 2022-04-25 | Gagne En Sante | Curcumine à spectre intégral | bonus 75 gélules, mélatonine liquide |
| 2022-04-25 | Nutramart | Herba super curcumin 95, 405mg, 120 vegan capsules |
| 2022-04-25 | Supplement World Canada | Revive multi |
| 2022-04-25 | Redsky Medical | Orgen co q-10 |
| 2022-05-11 | Supplements World | Revive immune multi |
| 2022-05-12 | Wonders Of Nature | Various products |
| 2022-05-12 | Redsky Medical | Various products |
| 2022-05-12 | Spectrum Supplements | Various products |
| 2022-05-17 | Enerex Botanicals Ltd. | Bio c 1000 |
| 2022-05-17 | Harmonic Arts Botanical Dispensary Ltd. | Chaga syrup |
| 2022-12-12 | The Health Depot | Super garlic oil 1500 mg, webber naturals l-lysine 500 mg |
| 2023-03-28 | Nutrition Plus | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Deluxe Beauty Supply | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Ebay | 5-htp extra strength |
| 2023-03-28 | Primarche | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Win In Health | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Vitamart | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Well | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Lifesupply | L-theanine |
| 2023-03-28 | Health Palace | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | Shoppers Drug Mart | Various products |
| 2023-03-28 | National Nutrition | Ultimate starch & fat metabolizer with white kidney bean extract - 90 vcaps |
| 2023-03-28 | Healthy Planet Canada | Various products |
| 2023-04-19 | Natural Food Pantry | Various products |
| 2023-04-19 | Sportchek | Jamieson b100 complex |
| 2023-05-11 | Ocean Sales | Turmerix capsules 300 count, turmerix 360g tub powder |
| 2023-05-11 | Village Vitamin Store | Various products |
| 2023-05-15 | Wellness Market | Various products |
| 2023-05-15 | Body Fuel Organics | Various products |
| 2023-05-15 | Iherb | Allmax taurine |
| 2023-05-15 | Nature Calm Canada | Gummies - natural calm magnesium gummies raspberry-lemon flavour, natural calm magnesium citrate powder raspberry lemon flavour |
| 2023-05-15 | Natures Source Inc. | Various products |
| 2023-05-24 | Yes Wellness | Various products |
| 2023-06-19 | The Para Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2023-06-19 | Body Energy Club | Various products |
| 2023-06-19 | Luminate Co. | Various products |
| 2023-06-27 | Coal Harbour Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2023-06-27 | Rediscover Health | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Noah's Natural Foods | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Vitashop | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Natural Focus | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Goodness Me | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Smiths Pharmacy | Various products |
| 2023-08-08 | Good N Natural | Various products |
| 2023-08-15 | Fiddleheads Health And Nutrition | Various products |
| 2023-08-15 | Optimum Health & Koyla | Various products |
| 2023-08-29 | Vitamin Tree | Various products |
| 2023-08-29 | Inside U | Various products |
| 2023-08-29 | Nature's Care | Various products |
| 2023-09-08 | Vitepro | Various products |
| 2023-09-08 | Easy Pharma | Various products |
| 2023-09-20 | Qi Natural Food | Nfh inositol sap |
| 2023-09-20 | Shop Alive | Various products |
| 2023-09-25 | Spectrum Supplements | Various products |
| 2023-10-05 | Homegrown Foods | Various products |
| 2023-10-05 | Bms Resources | Various products |
| 2023-10-13 | Vita Health | Various products |
| 2023-10-13 | Aura Natural Market | Various products |