Natural Health Products
Encyclopedia
Natural Health Products are defined (in Canada
) as:
Similar definitions exist worldwide. Natural Health Products are closely related to drugs, and have begun to be regulated in order to control health claims being made by products not classified as drugs, but are taken for reasons above and beyond simple caloric intake.
, specifically the Natural Health Products Directorate
.
In the United States
, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of the regulation and safety of all natural health products.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) as:
- Vitamins and minerals
- Herbal remedies
- Homeopathic medicines
- Traditional medicines such as traditional Chinese medicines
- Probiotics, and
- Other products like amino acidAmino acidAmino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...
s and essential fatty acidEssential fatty acidEssential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health but cannot synthesize them...
s.
Similar definitions exist worldwide. Natural Health Products are closely related to drugs, and have begun to be regulated in order to control health claims being made by products not classified as drugs, but are taken for reasons above and beyond simple caloric intake.
Regulation
In Canada, regulation of Natural Health Products falls to Health CanadaHealth Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
, specifically the Natural Health Products Directorate
Natural Health Products Directorate
The Natural Health Products Directorate is the division of the Health Products and Food Branch of Health Canada that is responsible for implementation of the Natural Health Product Regulations, including Good Manufacturing Practices, for Natural Health Products for sale in Canada.-Aspects:As the...
.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of the regulation and safety of all natural health products.