In a surprising victory for natural health proponents, Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement has agreed to the key demands of a grassroots campaign against restrictions on homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies in new legislation.
In the proposed new law's original language, natural medicines were lumped in with pharmaceutical drugs, raising concerns they would be subject to the same type of oversight. Some believed it could mean that a product as common as vitamin C would be unavailable without a prescription.
The government has now proposed to insert a definition of natural health products into the Food and Drugs Act to "clearly recognize" that they are distinct from foods and drugs under the law.
Other changes have been adopted which will make it clear that natural medicines will follow a different process to get to market. The new amendments will make explicit mention that traditional knowledge and history of use can be considered for obtaining authorization to sell a natural health product.
Sources: Vancouver Sun June 14, 2008
Read Dr. Mercola's comments at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/19/natural-health-advocates-defeat-government-power-grab.aspx?source=nl
