UK, Canada and Australia: How Natural Health Products Are Regulated

Three countries, three different systems. Canada licenses most natural health products before sale, Australia sorts them into "listed" and "registered" medicines, and the UK treats herbal medicines and food supplements as two separate legal categories. This page reports what each government body says on its own pages, read on 2026-10-23. Some of these pages are older than others; the date of each is given. For the US see US regulation, and for the EU see EU regulation.

Side by side

Canada

Health Canada says all natural health products sold in Canada require a product licence before being marketed. [1] Applicants submit details such as medicinal ingredients, source, potency, non-medicinal ingredients and recommended use. [1] Once authorized, the label bears an eight-digit licence number preceded by NPN. [1] Health Canada's licensing page says this number assures consumers the product has been reviewed and approved for safety and efficacy; that page carries a 2017 date. [1]

The newer overview page (dated 2026-08-10) adds that all NHPs are regulated under the Natural Health Products Regulations, in a manner appropriate for the lower-risk nature of these products, and that companies must hold valid product and site licences and follow good manufacturing practices. [5] It also says NHPs are generally lower risk but are not without risk. [5] It describes a 2021 audit that identified a need for increased oversight of the quality of NHPs, among other points. [5] A licence number is therefore a useful check, but it is not a guarantee about every bottle.

Australia

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says all medicines supplied in Australia must be in the ARTG, and you can tell whether a medicine is registered or listed from the AUST L, AUST L(A) or AUST R number. [2] The page (last updated 2019) describes the difference this way:

For listed medicines, the TGA says sponsors must certify that the medicine complies with regulation and that they hold evidence that it does what it says. [2] All medicines, listed or registered, must be made in a licensed or approved facility following good manufacturing practice. [2] In plain terms, a listed medicine is not the same thing as a medicine whose benefit has been checked by the regulator.

United Kingdom

Herbal medicines. The MHRA says you must apply for a traditional herbal registration (THR) before marketing a traditional herbal medicinal product in the UK. [3] A THR is only granted if the medicine is used for minor conditions where medical supervision is not required. [3] Applicants must include scientific evidence on safety, quality and traditional use, and show traditional use for a minimum of 30 years. [3] The MHRA says the THR Certification Mark shows the product meets the required standards of quality, safety and evidence of traditional use. [3] (Page last updated 5 January 2024.) As in the EU, this is a registration based on long use; it is not the same as proof from trials.

Food supplements. The Food Standards Agency guidance for businesses (applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales) says food supplements are regulated as food under general food law. [4] It says they are not medicinal products and cannot exert a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action. [4] The responsibility for ensuring safety rests with the business selling them, and the guidance warns about counterfeit products, particularly when buying online. [4] Labels must say "food supplement". [4] This guidance applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales; we did not read the guidance for Scotland. [4]

What this means for you

• A number or mark is a clue about the legal category, not a safety guarantee. Ask a pharmacist how to check a number; we do not link to sellers.
• Be careful with products bought from overseas or online. See Buying supplements online and Product quality and contamination.
• Where to report a problem in each country is in How to report a side effect in the UK, Canada, Australia and the EU.
• Ask a pharmacist or clinician before combining any product with medicines.

Not covered here

We did not read pages for New Zealand, the Canadian provinces, or Scotland and Wales in detail. The TGA's complementary-medicines landing pages could not be read this session, so we rely on its consumer guide above.