About Health Fraud Group

The long-term goal of the Mexico-US-Canada Health Fraud Group (MUCH) is:

• to maintain a formal framework for Trilateral Cooperation in combating health fraud in order to protect and promote the health and economic well being of citizens of all three nations; and
  
  
• to identify appropriate lines of communication to ensure a continual exchange of information on compliance and enforcement activities among the three countries.

This involves the promotion and enhancement of regulatory and enforcement activities against fraudulent health products and services in North America through:

• communication to strengthen partnerships;
  
  
• exchange and integration of information, experience and strategies among the MUCH members to enhance success of compliance and enforcement actions;
  
  
• public outreach and education so that consumers in each of the respective countries can make informed decisions; and
  
  
• complementary and coordinated enforcement activities in order to increase the success rate of compliance and enforcement actions taken and to prevent cross-border migration of fraudulent operations.

The MUCH Group uses a two-tiered approach to combat health fraud:

1. Compliance & Enforcement activities reduce the availability of fraudulent health products by taking actions against firms, in each agency's respective country, selling fraudulent health products with false, misleading and/or unsubstantiated claims. Actions may include:
   
   
   • Product seizure or recall
     
     
   • Promotion of voluntary compliance with industry
     
     
   • Refusal of entry of products at the border
     
     
   • Suspension of sales and services
     
     
   • Compliance and warning letters
     
     
   • Prosecutions
     
     
   • Public/private sector cooperation
     
     
2. Communication & Outreach activities improve consumer awareness about health fraud and educate businesses about their obligations in marketing health products/services so that consumers are able to make informed purchasing decisions in the health product market.

Information about the roles and mandates of member agencies of the Mexico-US-Canada Health Fraud Group (MUCH) can be found below:

Canada

• Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) of Health Canada: HPFB's mandate is to take an integrated approach to managing the health-related risks and benefits of health products and food by: minimizing health risk factors to Canadians while maximizing the safety provided by the regulatory system for health products and food; and, promoting conditions that enable Canadians to make healthy choices and providing information so that they can make informed decisions about their health.
  
  
• Competition Bureau (CB):
  CB's role is to promote and maintain fair competition so that all Canadians can benefit from competitive prices, product choice and quality services. Headed by the Commissioner of Competition, the organization investigates anti-competitive practices and promotes compliance with the laws under its jurisdiction.

Mexico

• Federal Commission for the Protection From Sanitary Risks, (COFEPRIS):
  COFEPRIS's mandate includes regulation, control, sanitary surveillance and promotion as stated in the General Health Law and other applicable regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Office of the Federal Attorney for Consumer Protection (PROFECO): [broken link]
  PROFECO's mandate is to function as an administrative authority in charge of promoting and protecting consumers´ rights and interests, and to procure fairness and juridical security in the relationships between consumers and providers.

United States

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
  The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, the national food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health.
  
  
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
  The mandate of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection is to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices. The Bureau enforces a variety of consumer protection laws enacted by Congress, as well as trade regulation rules issued by the Commission. Its actions include individual company and industry-wide investigations, administrative and federal court litigation, rulemaking, proceedings, and consumer and business education.

For more information, consult MUCH Terms of Reference.