Thank you for the question.
Traditional Chinese medicine, also known as TCM, refers to natural health products that Health Canada regulates. There are over 1,400 of them available for sale in Canada. Our government recognizes the unique nature of TCM and wants to hear from the communities their views on these products. So my officials meet regularly with representatives of this industry, but we also held two dedicated round tables in Vancouver and Toronto last fall to hear back from the TCM stakeholders.
Based on what I heard at those discussions, I called for the establishment of a TCM advisory committee, and this committee will provide a single window for TCM community members to interact with my department to bring their views and concerns forward. The advisory committee is being established in recognition of the unique characteristics of TCM. It also acknowledges the concerns of the TCM community about the appropriateness of the western medicine model for these products.
The mandate of the new committee is to provide my department with advice on current and emerging related issues on TCM, including the importation, sale, and use of TCM in Canada. Potential members have been identified from a cross-section of key stakeholder groups, including the industry, TCM practitioners, consumers, and patient groups. The advisory committee will have their first meeting sometime this spring, and I'm looking forward to hearing their views on this very important issue.
Thank you.