A Fresh Start: Final Report of the ONHP Transition Team

6.0 Communication

Guided by the ONHP Strategic Communications Framework and Plan, Health Canada formats for communication are being developed to target information, education and feedback from audiences including:

1. stakeholder groups, organizations and the general public;
2. members of the media;
3. healthcare providers (including NHP practitioners, family physicians, pharmacists and retailers of NHPs);
4. universities, hospitals and researchers;
5. Health Canada employees and other federal departments; and,
6. provincial/territorial Ministries of Health.

The Plan provides for a strategic communications approach during the implementation phase of the ONHP. It addresses a range of communications challenges and opportunities both internally, within Health Canada, and externally, involving a wide array of stakeholders.

Throughout its mandate, the Transition Team has made a consistent effort to produce public communiqués and website updates documenting its progress. Despite this, there has been a significant gap in the conveyance of such communication by Health Canada.

The Transition Team recommends that:

the Minister of Health offer visible public support and promotion of the ONHP through media activities focussing on the work of the Office as well as NHP policy and/or regulatory changes; the Minister should incorporate Health Canada's commitment to NHPs as part of all public representations on wellness.

The Transition Team further recommends that:

the ONHP should move quickly to utilize the communication tools outlined in its Strategic Communications Framework and develop a process for stakeholder consultation on proposed regulatory changes in concert with the new Office of Consumer Affairs and Public Involvement.