Monitoring health products on the Canadian market
We monitor the compliance of health products on the market through a planned review. Learn about the process for these reviews.
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Reviews to monitor compliance on the marketplace
Once a health product is on the market, we monitor its compliance. One way we do this is through planned reviews.
Health products must meet requirements in order to be legally sold in Canada. These requirements are outlined in the Food and Drugs Act and its regulations. For example, a product licence is required for:
- drugs
- natural health products
- medical devices (except Class I devices)
When we issue a licence, it means we have reviewed the safety of the product before it goes to market.
How we select products to review
A review is usually focused on specific types of products. For example, we may choose a product that has had an increasing number of complaints. Through the review, we collect information that helps us to determine if there are additional problems in the market.
What we do as part of a review
As part of a review, inspectors may check that health products:
- don’t pose a risk to health
- contain what they say they should
- list necessary information on their label
- are licensed for sale in Canada (if a licence is required)
- make only health claims that they’re authorized to make (called terms of market authorization)
After we review products
When an inspector finds a product that doesn’t meet the requirements, we:
- clarify what’s necessary to achieve compliance
- take action according to our Compliance and Enforcement Policy (POL-0001)
- a request for the voluntary stop of sale
- recalls
- the suspension of a company’s licence
It’s then the regulated party’s responsibility to take timely and appropriate action to comply with legislative and regulatory requirements.
We will inform you about any unsafe products by posting:
- recall notices and public advisories
- findings from planned reviews for compliance monitoring
Completed reports on compliance monitoring
Once a review is completed, we make the results available to the public. Browse the completed reviews.
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