HEALTH CANADA RAIDS NATURAL PHARMACY - $150K in product GONE
Jun 28, 2010
To Madame
Minister of Health, Honorable Members of Parliament, Journalists and
friends: June 23,
2010
Bill C6
has not even been passed that would allow Health
Canada to raid
without court orders and it continues to happen anyway. Not only that, HC
continues to raid those in the Natural Health Products industry while the
'so-called new protocol is being developed where HC has put NHP's into the Drug
category' which, by design continues to destroy the NHP
industry, one store or manufacturer at a time.
The raid
attached below is proof that Natural Health Products are NOT understood nor is
there any effort to understand it.
The
Standing Committee on Health had recommended that Natural Health Products be a
category of its own (as are Food and Drugs) yet it was rejected by Health
Canada who put it under the 'blanket
of Drugs.' Since then, there has been no end of issues, raids, seizures and all
without of court orders. The entire 'Natural Health Industry' is literally under
attack as if it is a 'drug' operation.
Until the
Conservative Party of Canada stands up to Health Canada and does the right thing
and make NATURAL
HEALTH PRODUCTS a category of its own, people are going to
be told of the Gestapo attitude of Health Canada and its actions endorsed by the
PC's. The Health Minister is NOT doing a huge industry that millions of
Canadians depend on any justice. She is allowing HC to manipulate policy and
force laws (policies) that conflicts with the 'natural health industry' in
Canada.
This
shows just how little 'interest' and 'understanding' the Conservative Party has
on the Natural Health Industry.
There are
many well informed and educated people in the Natural Health Industry who have
offered to help develop policy to ensure safety and efficacy of natural products
but they are not entertained by HC. It goes without saying that someone is
destroying Canadians Rights to chose between drugs (with side effects) or
natural health products (more easily tolerated).
This issue
will not go away until, as recommended by the
Standing Committee on Health that NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS be a category of its
own due to its uniqueness! What is so terrifying about that? Do it
right, develop that category as it should be and the rules/laws/requirements
will be clear and fair!
Due to the
continued lack of control of Health
Canada I feel it is time for the
current Health Minister to resign. There is NO leadership nor control of HC
coming from her office; only reluctance to apply sane policy that ensures
Canadians' Rights to Natural Health Products flourish and are safe (as per the
PC's policy). Natural Health Products are NOT DRUGS, Madame
Minister!
L. G.
Anderson
8 Morel
Drive
Spruce
Grove,
AB
T7X
2P5
780-962-6747
Info on raid
below:
________________________________
Sounds too familar? This is what's coming down the pipeline
for the health industry.
Some of you may have
heard this already, others not. I'm forwarding an article that owner Rudy
Sanchez (my boss) of Marigold Compounding
and Natural Pharmacy in Courtenay, B.C. has written today, June 22,
2010. This is really huge news in the natural health industry. I encourage you
all to have a look at the link at the bottom and educate yourselves, as this
incident is perhaps the start of what the new NHP regulations mean to YOUR
access to natural health products in
Canada.
This article is
posted on his blog, along with another more personal account of his experience
at http://marigoldnatural.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html
Thank you for
reading.
Progressive
Pharmacy Draws Attention
Marigold Compounding and Natural
Pharmacy in
Courtenay,
BC is the first of its kind. It is
one of the most progressive pharmacies in
North
America as far as the scope and the mode of its operation. It is the
true integration of pharmacy, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine
and other modalities at a professional level.
It has been recently
caught in the controversy that is affecting the delivery of natural health care
and natural products in
Canada.
On June 14, four
inspectors from Health
Canada, accompanied by two RCMP officers, and
inspectors from the
College of
Pharmacists of BC raided the pharmacy and
seized products without NPN's (Natural Product Number) and ordered the closure
of the store.
The total value of the products taken away by Health
Canada was $146,290.85 (valued at
cost)
How is Marigold different?
Marigold is no ordinary pharmacy. First of all, the
philosophy is based on Vis Curatio Intentio (to heal as nature intended). They
do not carry regular drugstore items such as Tylenol, Nyquil, not even
Band-aids. Instead, you will find a wide selection of the best quality vitamins
and supplements, including professional lines such as Thorne, Seroyal,
Metagenics, AOR, and Waiora. They carry functional foods, medicinal mushrooms,
Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, homeopathy, tissue salts and
chemical free dermatological preparations. They also have their own line of
products which are prepared in the compounding pharmacy.
What is the Natural Health Products Directorate
(NHPD)?
The NHPR (Natural Health Products Regulations) came
into full effect in January 2010. It is federal legislation through which Health
Canada would legislate the sale of natural health products as it does "drugs"
through the Food and Drug Act and the Food and Drugs Regulation. With the
classification as drugs, the intent is to have all natural products develop a
body of evidence based on science. The fact that natural ingredients can not be
patented poses a dilemma for manufacturers. Natural ingredients can be isolated
and purified and even chemically altered, but does this change the properties?
Are they still natural?
For the quarterly reporting periods (2008/2009
and the first three quarters of 2009/2010) which represents 37.9% of the product
licensing applications received since the start of the NHPR in 2004, a total of
19,402 applications have been processed of which 11,195 were licensed, 2,493
were withdrawn and 5,714 were refused. (Source: Clash of the Regulatory Bodies
by Andrew Waldie, Integrated health Practitioner, Special Report, Vol 10-2) This
represents just a small fraction of natural products on the market. These are
products already currently on the shelves, and does not count products in
development. Already, many suppliers have stopped shipping to
Canada and many small companies who
cannot afford to comply are waiting in anticipation of what will
happen.
Health
Canada has far-reaching powers and in
protecting the public interest can enter any private or business property and
enforce the Act. Since 2004, there has been a growing backlog of applications
and the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) has described the backlog as
alarming. Bill C-36 will further enhance the ability of Health
Canada to enforce their
powers.
In January 2010, NAPRA, the National Association of Pharmacy
Regulatory Authorities, of which the
College of
Pharmacists of BC is a member, issued a
position statement advising pharmacies to stop selling any products that do not
have a DIN ( Drug Identification Number), an NPN ( Natural Product Number) or a
DIN-HM (Homeopathic Medicine DIN). This has been adopted by some provincial
College of
Pharmacists and is now
being implemented through the removal of products at the retail level.
Where does Marigold fit in?
Marigold does not fit in neatly into any category. Although
we are a full service pharmacy with prescription services, we are very different
from a traditional drugstore. Our expertise is in natural medicine, but we also
understand the language and complexity of pharmaceutical drugs. Since we are not
a health food store, Health
Canada sees us as falling under the auspices of
the
College of
Pharmacists.
Marigold Compounding and Natural Pharmacy creates its own line of
chemical- free products. In our formulations, we consciously and carefully
select natural ingredients and avoid toxic chemicals. As much as possible, we
try to stay close to the natural state of the medicine. We avoid using parabens,
petroleum distillates, artificial colours, triethanolamine, magnesium stearate,
butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, PABA, sodium lauryl sulfate,
artificial flavours and clay fillers. We formulate our capsules using alfalfa as
the filler, rather than lactose or magnesium stearate.
Authorities from
Health
Canada have advised us in the past
that as a compounding pharmacy, we have the ability to prepare products without
an NPN registration as long as it fulfills the following criteria:
1. It
is prepared in a proper laboratory with good manufacturing processes.
2. It
is delivered directly to the end-user, the patient.
3. There exists a
professional relationship between a health practitioner and the
patient.
Our ability to deliver professional advice is unparalleled in
the industry. We have the following ten accredited practitioners on our
staff:
Janette Cormier, AA, RH, R.Ac. Registered Herbalist, Registered
Acupuncturist
Michel Duhaime, R.Ac,, DTCM Registered Acupuncturist,
Transformation Acupuncture, EFT
Raje Harwood Registered Reflexologist,
Auricular Therapy
Dr. Erika Kneeland, B.Sc., ND Naturopathic Physician
with a specialty in obstetrics, pediatrics and women's health
Dr. Lise
Maltais, FCAH, ND Naturopathic Physician, Registered Homeopathic Physician,
Bowen Practitioner
Charlese Nan, RMT Registered Massage Therapist,
Injury Specialist
Kira Neumann, RNCP Registered Holistic Nutritionist,
Nutrition Consultant
Sharon Niscak, M.Sc., RH Registered Herbalist
Carol Smith, BA Reiki Master
Rudy Sanchez, B.Sc. Pharm.
Consulting Pharmacist, Formulator
Raid
by Health
Canada and the
College of
Pharmacists:
On June 14,
2010, the store was inspected by four inspectors from Health
Canada, two inspectors from the
College of
Pharmacists, accompanied by two RCMP
officers. Products that did not contain NPN's were removed from the shelves and
taken away.
The store was closed and has been closed since, as we comply
with the requirements set out by the College and Health
Canada.
Here are some of the products that were removed from the
shelves:
All Natural Sunscreens containing zinc oxide in various
concentrations
Buttspackle containing calendula,
peru balsam and
zinc oxide
Arthrotopik Cream for inflammation, containing devil's claw,
calendula and arnica
Jocamu Ointment containing arnica and Rhus tox
Wild
Oregano Oil, pure oil
Arnica Ointment 10%
Shatavari Ayurvedic Powder
Oil of Lavender pure essential oil
Grapefruit Seed Extract, pure
Colloidal Silver
Goldenseal Powder in Manuka 16+ Medicinal
Honey
Health
Canada has seized inventory which
does not bear NPN's. Part of this inventory are products that we make based on
our own formulas. Part of this inventory is from suppliers who have not complied
with NPN regulations. The store is closed by the
College of
Pharmacists of BC pending compliance with
regulations.
These are the steps that are being done at this time:
1. Institution of individualized professional practitioner consultations
prior to sale of products without NPN. This will require that we record patient
name, date of purchase and practitioner information, This will allow us to sell
these products and continue preparing them if needed.
2. Installation of a
service counter to remove public access to Marigold Products.
3. Initiation
of the procedure to register a site license for Marigold and allow us eventually
to file for NPN's for our products.
4. Meeting the compliance issues set out
by the
College of
Pharmacists of
BC
regarding labeling, compounding registers, etc.
We are using this
opportunity to input our inventory into a POS system and make these improvements
to allow us to continue serving your health needs.
Marigold is a very
unique and progressive pharmacy that happens to be right here in Courtenay. We
appreciate your support during this period and ask you to participate as much as
you can in the protection of natural health not just for this store, but for all
natural health retailers and practitioners.
1. For more information
about Health Canada regulations regarding the requirement of NPN's, please go to
the website for NHPPA (Natural Health Products Protection Association) and watch
some of the videos of Shawn Buckley, constitutional lawyer and advocate for
protection of natural health products. nhppa.org
2. Visit the site of
CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) and click on regulations to get
information of the NHPD. chfa.ca
3. If you want to
write a letter of support for Marigold, (especially if you have had a chance to
use our services and have a story you want to share about outcomes), please send
emails to:
marigoldgrassroots@gmail.com
4. All media enquiries are
directed to :
250
338 9623 or marigoldgrassroots@gmail.com
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