What is the
number one reason some people choose a natural health product (NHP) over a
pharmaceutical one? Safety!
It’s a
common misconception that a natural product is safer than a “chemical/synthetic”
one. There are several natural substances that are toxic and even deadly, like
arsenic, lead and venom, just to name a few. Many people fall into this trap
and end up choosing a product that is less effective for one they think is
safer but it may not be as safe as they think.
Recently an article was published in the Canadian
Medical Association Journal criticizing Health Canada for its
leniency when it comes to approving natural health products. The editor of the
journal, Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, was quoted as saying "They simply have to
show that someone, somewhere once used this as therapy for something". He went on to claim that manufacturers
of NHPs have to stop advertizing that
their products are remedies because they have very little evidence for their
actual efficacy. Furthermore, the
director of general of natural and nonprescription health products
for Health Canada stated that “Health Canada has the power to recall a bag of
chips, but does not have the power to recall an unsafe natural health product”.
There is clearly a big
safety and efficacy gap that needs to be filled at Health Canada regarding
NHPs. I used to think that even though NHP efficacy was questionable their
safety was not, but now I’m not so sure. Thankfully, Health Canada is currently
reviewing the regulations that govern the sale of self-care products, which
includes NHPs. All products, whether they are termed “natural” or pharmaceutical
should follow the same strict and rigorous testing to ensure our safety. Just because something is chemical doesn’t
mean it isn’t natural and just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s
safe.
Link to CBC news article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/medical-journal-takes-aim-at-natural-remedies-1.4174165
“Chemistry begins in the stars. The stars are the
source of the chemical elements, which are the building blocks of matter and
the core of our subject.”
Peter
Atkins
