Position Statement on Health Products Issued
The Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors (OAND) has been informed by the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) that the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has issued the following position statement: “Pharmacists should not sell a marketed health product without a Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN), or Drug Identification Number for Homeopathic Medicine (DIN-HM).”
According to Ronda Parkes of OAND, it appears that the College of Pharmacists of Ontario has approved the adoption of the position statement, which means that as of March 31, the College of Pharmacists of Ontario may take action against pharmacists who have products on shelves and who do not have a DIN, NPN or DIN-HM.
As of press time, the OAND was in the process of understanding who and what may be affected by this statement. The position statement can be downloaded at: www.napra.org/Content_Files/Files/Position_Statement_Sale_of_nonapproved_marketed_health_products_January2010.pdf.