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With Linda Banister
ver the counter natural health products are supplements from natural sources used toprevent sickness or promote health that can be purchased without a prescription. Being inthe midst of cold and flu season, it’s not uncommon for the use of these supplements to Oincrease, however, many are also used on a regular basis. This month’s Poll Stationasked
Edmontonians about their use of over the counter natural health products.
DO YOU USE OVER-THE-COUNTER
ARE YOU AWARE OF REGULATIONS
NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS?
AND DO YOU AGREE THEY ARE NEEDED?
Said they or someone in
Said they did not use
Said they were unaware
Said they were aware of
Were able to
their household use
over the counter
of any regulations on
regulations on natural
recall the bill was
natural health products
health products
natural health products
health products
called Bill C-51
The survey began by asking respondents if they, or anyone in their Respondents were then told the federal government is currently in the household, used over-the-counter natural health products, such as process of changing the way it regulates natural health products and vitamins and herbs. Over three quarters of the respondents (78 were asked if they were aware of any Bills or regulations regarding this percent) indicated they, or someone in their households, used issue. Forty percent indicated they were aware, with 18 percent of them being able to recall it by name: Bill C-51. The 22 percent who did not use over the counter natural health All respondents were then informed that these products are currently products were asked to indicate why not. Respondents most regulated under the Natural Health Product Regulations, and that the frequently mentioned that they did not believe it was necessary federal government has proposed Bill C-51 to further ensure that (59 percent), followed by natural health products being too consumers have access to only safe, effective and high quality Respondents who do use natural health products were then After being provided with this information, respondents were asked asked how long they have been taking them. They indicated they to rate their level of agreement. Fifty-one percent were in high have been using them for an average of 13 years, with 35 percent agreement with Bill C-51, most frequently stating the need for of them most frequently stating they have been using them for consumer protection and quality control as their reason for agreement more than 10 years, followed by at least 10 years (20 percent).
(73 percent). In contrast, 25 percent of respondents reported a low levelagreement with Bill C-51. When asked why they disagreed, WHICH NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS
respondents most frequently stated the federal government does not DO YOU USE AND HOW OFTEN?
Respondents were then asked what types of natural healthproducts they use. Most frequently, they used multi-vitamins (65 New to the Edmontonians website:
percent), followed by vitamin C (60 percent). Fewer respondents Monthly Poll Station Online Question
mentioned Echinacea and Cold FX (35 percent and 29 percent Visit www.edmontonians.com to register your opinion respectively), followed by ginseng (22 percent) and garlic tablets(16 percent).
Want a question included in the Edmontonians Poll?
When asked how often they use the various health products, Contact Linda at 780.451.4444 or e-mail respondents most frequently indicated they take multi-vitamins and vitamin C, with 74 percent stating they take multi-vitaminsdaily and 30 percent reporting they take vitamin C daily. For Linda Banister is a certified management consultant and the owner of products such as Cold FX, respondents indicated they were most Banister Research and Consulting Inc., a full service provider of likely to use this product when they are about to get sick (35 market research and program evaluation services. percent) or when they are sick (31 percent).

Source: http://www.banister.ab.ca/articles/issues/Health-HealthProducts-Dec08.pdf