Every time when you are buying natural products such a vitamin, herb and plant-based remedies, TCM medicine, probiotics or many other daily consumer natural products, you will see the tiny little code that is labeled on the package says “NPN XXXXXXXX”, what does this code actually mean? Let’s solve the myth of NPN in today's’ content.
What does NPN mean and why is it important?
It is very important to understand that every “natural health products” does require a product license number in order to be eligible to sell in Canada. In order to get the license, the applicants have to provide the following info to the health Canada including:
- Medicinal ingredients
- Source
- Does
- Potency
- Non-medical ingredients
- Recommended users
Once the Health Canada accessed to this product and examined to see if the products are safe to the Canadian market, then it will issue a product license with an 8-digit number or a [Natural Product Number] to certify that this item is eligible to sell in Canada. This NPN number must be labeled clearly on the label, which basically means that this product has been reviewed from Health Canada.
The licensed natural products database are managed by Health Canada and each of the licensed product in the database contain detail information as following. As a consumer, it is always recommended to make sure every time when you are choosing any type of natural health products such as essential oils and others, pay attention to this number in the package to ensure that the product is legit and certified by Health Canada.
- product name
- product license holder
- Natural Product Number (NPN) or Homeopathic Medicine Number (DIN-HM)
- product's medicinal ingredients
- product's non-medicinal ingredients
- product's dosage form
- product's recommended use or purpose (i.e. its health claim or indication)
- risk information associated with the product's use (i.e. cautions, warnings, contra-indications, and known adverse reactions)
All the ingredients of the medicine must be listed clearly | Lierre.caAll Lierre’s natural products such as natural essential oils are labeled with NPN number in their packaging to ensure that our products are perfectly safe for personal use, for more information regard to essential oils and aromatherapy, feel free to check our site.
For extra info regard to the natural health products, you can also contact the following address:
Marketed Health Products Directorate
Health Canada
Address Locator: 0701C
OTTAWA, ON K1A 0L2
Telephone: (613) 957-0337
Fax: (613) 957-0335