CA had the opportunity to meet with both Nancy Hamzsawi, the new Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of the Health Products & Food Branch (HPFB), and her new Associate ADM Pamela Aung-Thin. Ms. Hamzsawi recently replaced Pierre Sabourin while Ms. Aung-Thin replaced Manon Bombardier. Both are now responsible for the regulation of natural health products and non-prescription drugs, as well as being the lead on the development of the Self-Care Framework.
Joining the meeting was Isabella Chan, the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Healthy Environments & Consumer Safety Branch (HECS), who is responsible for cosmetics, thereby bringing together the two branches of Health Canada that currently govern all cosmetics and personal care products.
Senior Health Canada staff were also in attendance including Natalie Page – Director General NNHPD, and Roger Charland – Director General HECS.
In addition to introducing our association to the two new ADM’s, Cosmetics Alliance re-enforced our support for the Self-Care Framework and the need to continue to push forward to get it done! We also offered our continued support for the elimination of animal testing for cosmetics and were thanked for our efforts in bringing all of the stakeholder together and working with Health Canada officials on the details.
We raised several emerging concerns arising from the continued siloed administration of our products between the two branches. More specifically, we expressed our concern with the inclusion of cosmetics with “consumer products” under the government’s joint Health Canada and Environment Canada initiative to enhance product labelling – particularly since cosmetics already have mandatory ingredient labeling and must be safe when used as intended. We also raised the need for Health Canada and Environment Canada to coordinate and eventually consolidate the administration and enforcement of all health and environmental regulation as they are applied to finished self-care products. Both ADM’s were quick to acknowledge our concerns – and suggestions – and indicated a clear willingness to work with us in addressing them going forward.
