Our recommendations are the following.
Recommendation 1, ensure that both the general public and health professionals are made aware, through educational programs, of interactions between natural health products and pharmacological drugs.
The public generally considers natural health products to be safe and beneficial. These substances are largely unregulated, and this contributes to the misconception that they are innocuous. Patients don't feel the need to tell their physicians that they are using them, and physicians do not often ask their patients if they are using them. Education in these areas should also help to increase the degree to which the public trusts the information they receive from their health care professionals with regard to natural health products. According to a 2005 study by Health Canada, less than half of Canadians trust information from their health professionals about natural health products.
Recommendation 2, create a reporting system so that front-line health professionals can report adverse reactions to Health Canada directly. Adverse reaction reporting is mandatory for companies that make natural health products. However, serious adverse reactions are generally dealt with by front-line workers such as nurses and doctors. The recommended system should also be mandated, since reporting is necessary to protect the best interests of the public.
Recommendation 3, because natural health products are being sold over the counter with little or no monitoring, both pharmacies and health food stores should be mandated by the government to have qualified health professionals at their disposal. Certain natural health products should be prescribed only by qualified health professionals who have knowledge and training in the area of nutraceuticals. Some natural health products can cause serious adverse effects if not used by individuals who require them or if used by patients who have allergies to the natural health product.
Recommendation 4, since 2004, Health Canada has employed the use of natural health product numbers and homeopathic remedy drug identification numbers to identify products. The public should be educated on how to find these numbers and what they mean. According to a 2005 study conducted by Health Canada, 60% of people do not look for drug identification numbers on homeopathic medicines, and 66% of people do not look for natural health product numbers.