Do Canadian natural health product labels have new labelling rules?
Yes. Health Canada amended the Natural Health Products Regulations in 2022 to make labels clear, consistent and legible. The labelling changes came into force on June 21, 2025, but every product currently has until 2028 to comply, and Health Canada plans to make the rules more flexible.
This page is general information, not legal or regulatory advice.
Every relabelling project is also a chance for a correctly spelled wrong word. ContextRx studies US FDA DailyMed drug labels, not natural health products; the review habits carry over.
What a natural health product is
In Canada, natural health products (NHPs) are a separate category under the Natural Health Products Regulations, with their own product numbers and labelling rules. Health Canada's guidance defines them by the substances they contain (listed in a schedule to the regulations), homeopathic medicines and traditional medicines, used for things such as treating or preventing a disease or symptom, or restoring or modifying body functions.
What the 2022 amendments changed
According to Health Canada's guidance document on labelling of natural health products, the amended rules add a standardized Product Facts Table to help people find important information and compare products, plus legibility rules on font and contrast, and flexibilities for products that can't fit everything on the label. Certain label information must appear in both English and French.
The timeline, as Health Canada describes it
- In force: Health Canada's bulletin says the amendments were registered on June 21, 2022 and came into force on June 21, 2025.
- Compliance date: Health Canada's labelling guidance says all NHPs have until June 22, 2028, to comply.
- Planned changes: the bulletin says Health Canada plans to make the labelling requirements more flexible, with draft regulations targeted for pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I in spring 2027, including a new proposed transition period beyond June 2028.
We'll update this page at the same address when the draft regulations are pre-published.
Why a relabelling wave raises wrong-word risk
Our view: rebuilding labels into a new table, moving text between panels and leaflets, and reworking both languages at once all create new sentences. New sentences need a fresh read for meaning.
Made-up example: a Directions line meant to say "daily" printed as "dairy" reads as normal English, and spellcheck passes it in both languages.
What to read for
Practice advice: read the directions, the warnings (including the do-not-use and ask-a-practitioner lines) and the uses for meaning, in English and in French. More in Canada's bilingual labels, Health Canada drug label wording and the section-by-section guide.
Sources
- Health Canada: Natural Health Products Labelling Requirements Compliance Extension (Bulletin No. 10)
- Health Canada: Guidance document, Labelling of natural health products
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
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FAQ
Do natural health product labels in Canada have new rules?
Yes. Health Canada amended the Natural Health Products Regulations in 2022 to make labels clear, consistent and legible. The labelling changes came into force on June 21, 2025.
When do NHPs have to comply?
Health Canada's labelling guidance says all NHPs have until June 22, 2028, to comply. Its May 2026 bulletin says draft regulations with a new proposed transition period are targeted for pre-publication in spring 2027.
Does ContextRx study NHP labels?
No. ContextRx cases come from US FDA DailyMed drug labels; the review habits carry over.