How to Register a Complaint about a Product

Consistent with Health Canada's mission to help the people of Canada maintain and improve their health, it is the responsibility of the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate (Inspectorate) to investigate complaints of alleged violations of the Food and Drugs Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and related Regulations with regard to therapeutic products.

Those involving a therapeutic product (drugs, natural health products, biologics, genomics, or medical devices), and an alleged violation of the Food and Drugs Act or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and related Regulations, are investigated by the Inspectorate.

The Inspectorate is committed to investigating complaints. The priority to investigating such complaints is guided by the level of risk to the public health.

What information is recommended in the submission of a complaint?

What happens when I submit my complaint?

Whom do I contact?

• British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Yukon
• Manitoba, Saskatchewan
• Ontario, Nunavut
• Quebec
• Atlantic

What information is recommended in the submission of a complaint?

Information about the alleged violation such as:

• written details of an incident and the rationale for the complaint (what, when, where, who and how something happened) including the names and phone numbers of individuals involved
• the complainant's assessment of the severity of the problem
• contact made with the alleged violator
• trade name/common name of the product
• Drug Identification Number (DIN), Catalogue Number, Lot number, etc.
• copies of labels for allegedly violative product; including the name and address of the vendor
• samples of allegedly violative product
• price lists or order forms; at a minimum, these should show the name of the company and product in question
• invoices indicating sale; including vendor and date
• advertising or promotional material; if taken from print media, the name of the newspaper or magazine and the date on which it appeared
• any other information which would assist the Inspectorate in investigating the complaint

What happens when I submit my complaint?

When received, your complaint will be reviewed to determine whether further information is required and whether the Inspectorate is the appropriate organization to handle your complaint.

If the Inspectorate is not the appropriate organization to investigate the complaint, the originator will be notified of the organization (including its name and address) to which it will be referred. The complaint will be forwarded only upon authorization by the complainant.

Since the Inspectorate must manage multiple investigations, all complaints are initially prioritized according to the risk to health presented by the alleged violation. Incidents representing a higher risk will be investigated first.

Actions taken by a Compliance Officer will be consistent with the Inspectorate's compliance and enforcement policies and procedures. Not all complaints will result in enforcement action. The objective is to achieve compliance using the most appropriate level of intervention.

Whom do I contact?

Toll free number - 1-800-267-9675

Complaints should be submitted in writing to the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at the closest Operational Centre listed below:

British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Yukon
Operational Manager
4595 Canada Way, 4th Floor
Burnaby, British Columbia
V5G 1J9
Phone (604) 666-3350
Fax (604) 666-3149

Manitoba, Saskatchewan
Operational Manager
510 Lagimodiere Blvd
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2J 3Y1
Phone (204) 983-5490
Fax (204) 984-2155

Ontario, Nunavut
Operational Manager
2301 Midland Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M1P 4R7
Phone (416) 973-1600
Fax (416) 954-4583

Quebec
Operational Manager
1001 Rue St-Laurent Ouest
Longueuil, Quebec
J4K 1C7
Phone (450) 646-1353
Fax (450) 928-4455

Atlantic
Operational Manager
Suite 1625, 16th Floor
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3Y6
Phone (902) 426-2160
Fax (902) 426-6676

At the conclusion of the investigation, the complainant will be advised whether the complaint was verified, and what, if any, corrective action was taken. The Inspectorate may make information on compliance and enforcement activities available, subject to the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.