SYMPOSIA Thursday, May 25, 2:00-4:30
The Global Regulation of Natural Health Products: A
Scientific Perspective
Speakers: Michael J Smith, PhD, Alan Bensoussan, PhD,
Linda Anderson, PhD, Joseph Betz, PhD, Robin Marles, PhD
Consumers and patients alike are increasingly
considering natural health products and dietary supplements to be credible
additions to their health care plan, either taken on the recommendation
of a health care practitioner or increasingly as part of a proactive
self care approach. Increasingly decisions related to access and choice
are determined on the international rather than domestic stage, with
products increasingly being manufactured and developed overseas from
the market in which they are sold.
Developing an appropriate regulatory framework
is often complex with many factors needing to be balanced to ensure
that consumers have access to safe and effective products with the necessary
information to make informed choice. The nature of the products themselves
and the need to be sensitive to various concepts of health and healing
has resulted in the development of new and emerging technologies as
well as various ways of determining effectiveness and appropriateness
of use. The role of science and research is key to these decision-making
processes.
While in recent years there has been a move
towards regulatory cooperation, especially with regards to herbal medicines,
many countries and jurisdictions have developed regulatory frameworks
specific to their individual needs. This session brings together international
leaders and decision makers in the area of science based regulatory
policy development and product evaluation to explore this subject in
greater detail.
The three primary objectives of this session
are:
1. To provide information about international regulatory frameworks
for natural health products/dietary supplements and the increasing move
towards regulatory cooperation
2. To facilitate discussion and debate about the role of science and
research in the regulatory decision-making processes related to natural
health products/dietary supplements
3. To provide participants with differing perspectives and information
on this subject strengthening their ability to support a climate of
informed choice with respect to natural health products/dietary supplements
Designed to ensure audience participation, this
session will consist of both didactic presentations and time allocated
for questions and discussions. While especially relevant to health care
practitioners and non-government organisations providing information
on natural health products/dietary supplements to consumers, the cross
cutting nature of this subject makes this session relevant to all stakeholder
groups. From the perspective of the research community, information
and insight provided by this session may assist researchers in developing
research priorities and proposals addressing gaps and challenges identified
by the participants.
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