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HOME >>ADVOCACY
On April 8, 2008, the federal government
tabled amendments to the Food and Drugs Act (Bill C-51), which
introduces new definitions including a new product category called
“therapeutic products”, that encompasses drugs, natural health
products, medical devices, and cells, tissues, and organs. It
also establishes new enforcement powers that include increased
penalties, access to personal information, and the ability to enter
business establishments without a warrant.
Within two weeks, however, the Freedom of Choice movement and natural
health products industry rallied such public opposition to Bill C-51
that the progress of this legislation has been delayed.
To better understand the issues and concerns behind this public
opposition, click here to read Bill
C-51 and click to read more:
●
Health Action Network Society (HANS)
●
Natural Health Products Protection
Association
The Board of the Canadian Society of Homeopaths agrees that this
legislation contains troubling aspects that could seriously affect the
entire natural health products industry, including homeopathic
products.
Specifically, we draw to your attention two issues that have the
potential of negatively impacting our long-term access to homeopathic
medicines:
1. If this Bill is approved, homeopathic products will be
reclassified as therapeutic products and the Minister of Health will
be granted the power to “designate a therapeutic product – either
individually or by class – as a prescription therapeutic product”
[15.1(4)], which can only be dispensed by “an individual who is
authorized under the law of a province to prescribe or dispense
prescription therapeutic products” [Definition of
“Practitioner”].
Thus, the Minister of Health can create and add to a list of
remedies available only by prescription, which would be
unavailable to students of homeopathy, non-licensed professional
homeopaths, and licensed homeopaths whose scope of practice does not
include prescriptions for “therapeutic products”.
2. This Bill also proposes to expand the definition of
“government” to include “a government of a foreign state or of a
subdivision of a foreign state, or . . . an international organization
of states” and to permit modifications to regulations by reference
documents provided by “a government” [30.7].
We are concerned that regulations arising from a foreign source
(such as the CODEX
treaty) could become law in Canada through the regulatory process,
circumventing the disclosure and scrutiny involved in the legislative
process.
Although C-51 does not appear to contain any immediate threat to
homeopathic practice, the CSH Board encourages everyone within the
homeopathic community to learn more about C-51 and to express your
concerns in writing to any or all of the following:
● your federal MP
● the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper
● the Minister of Health, Tony Clement
● the NDP health critic, Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Address your letters to:
The Honourable (Name of person)
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Remember, letters addressed to Parliament go postal free!
Original letters are always the best way to influence political
leaders. A letter written in long-hand and mailed carries the
most impact; however typed letters and e-mails can be effective as
well.
If you want to contact MPs by phone or at their constituency offices,
click here to find contact
information for your Member of Parliament.
Please share this information with everyone you know who has an
interest in natural health and ask them to do the same. If
enough people join our letter-writing campaign, we have a good chance
of influencing MPs to reject Bill C-51 when it comes to a vote for
Second Reading.
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FIND A HOMEOPATH
CSH members join a 2008 rally
to oppose federal government legislation, which eventually
was
suspended.
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