Thank you so much.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Thank you for inviting the Canadian Pharmacists Association to contribute to your study of Bill C-224.
I am Dr. Sadaf Faisal, chief pharmacist officer at the CPhA. I'm joined by Ashley McVey, our vice-president of public affairs.
The CPhA is the national voice of pharmacy and represents more than 40,000 pharmacists across Canada. Our perspective on Bill C-224 is grounded in patient safety and the critical role pharmacists play in helping Canadians assess the risks, benefits and evidence related to the natural health products they use.
The CPhA recommends that the committee not proceed with Bill C-224 in its current form, as it would exclude most natural health products from the definition of “therapeutic product”.
Natural health products are widely used by Canadians. As a pharmacist with more than 20 years of experience, I have counselled many patients on their effectiveness, appropriate use, potential side effects, and interactions with prescription and non-prescription medications. Patients often consult pharmacists before starting a supplement, vitamin, herbal product or other natural health product. Through these conversations, pharmacists routinely identify potential safety concerns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Canadians may assume that products available on pharmacy shelves are safe and risk-free. However, “natural” does not always mean harmless. While many natural health products are considered low risk, patients frequently use them alongside prescription and non-prescription medications, creating the potential for interactions, side effects or therapeutic duplications. Older adults, individuals with multiple chronic conditions, pregnant individuals, and patients taking several medications may be particularly vulnerable.
Pharmacists help patients understand these risks and make informed decisions about whether a product is appropriate and how it fits with overall care. From a medication safety perspective, even a relatively low-frequency risk can have significant consequences when products are used by millions of Canadians. Risk can also arise from issues such as contamination or inaccurate labelling. This is why an effective regulatory system remains important, even for products generally considered low risk. For pharmacists advising patients, reliable and timely safety information is essential. When serious safety concerns emerge, health professionals need confidence that regulators have the authority to respond effectively. For these reasons, the CPhA believes it is important to maintain the regulatory authorities currently available for natural health products.
I'll now turn to Ashley.