How to Buy Herbal Products Safely in Canada

Herbal products are easy to find online, but not all of them can legally be sold in Canada. A few simple checks can protect you.

Look for an NPN

Natural health products sold in Canada need a product licence from Health Canada. You will see it on the label as an eight-digit Natural Product Number (NPN), or a DIN-HM for homeopathic medicines. You can look up the number in Health Canada’s Licensed Natural Health Products Database.

Warning signs

No NPN on a product sold for a health purpose
Promises to cure or detox
Products inserted into the body with no medical guidance
No company name or Canadian contact details
Ships directly from overseas with no ingredient list

Is herbal tea different?

A plain tea sold as a drink is usually treated as a food. Once a product is sold for a health purpose, it can fall under the natural health product rules.

Talk to a professional

Herbs can interact with medicines, and some are not suitable in pregnancy. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before you take any herbal product for your health.

Source: Health Canada, natural health products.

This guide is general information, not medical advice.