Are you prepared for changes to Health Canada’s regulations on infant formulas and dietary products? The Interim Policy on Importation and Sale ends on December 31, 2024. To ensure compliance and long-term availability, you need to align your products with the Food and Drugs Regulations (FDR). Let’s explore what this means and how you can adapt.
What Is the Interim Policy?
Health Canada introduced the interim policy in 2022 to stabilize supply during shortages. It allowed temporary importation of products that didn’t fully comply with regulations.
Now, Health Canada aims to replace this temporary measure. By launching a transition strategy, it ensures all products meet Canadian standards for the future.
The policy will expire on December 31, 2024, for products that don’t participate in the transition strategy. After this date, Health Canada will remove non-compliant products from Appendix A.
Products imported before the deadline can still be sold. However, this is only possible while supplies last and within their shelf-life.
How to Transition Your Products
If your product appears in Appendix A, follow these steps to stay compliant:
- Engage with Health Canada: Work closely with Health Canada to meet FDR requirements.
- Monitor updates: Regularly check Appendix A for changes as products are evaluated.
- Secure approvals: Once compliant, your product will move to Health Canada’s online list of approved items.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start the transition process now to ensure uninterrupted market access. Compliant products will benefit from long-term availability in Canada. For infant formulas, this means:
- Removal from Appendix A of the interim policy.
- Addition to Health Canada’s official list of reviewed products, available in stores and pharmacies.
Take Action and Avoid Disruption
Ensure your products meet Health Canada’s requirements before the December 31, 2024, deadline. Proactively transitioning your products will prevent disruptions and maintain their market availability. Check Health Canada’s website to stay updated on regulatory changes and find helpful resources.
