Questions & Answers
Why did Health Canada redesign its Web site?
The redesign of our Web site was done to improve access to the wealth of information and services available to Canadians from Health Canada. In increasing access to our information, we hope that our users will increase their understanding about the important issues that Health Canada deals with on a daily basis.
In improving access, we've also improved our readiness to respond to emerging issues and to do so in a clear and concise way through our Web site. As an example, all of advisories, warnings and recalls systems are now grouped together so a user can get a quick snapshot of the latest health advisories from drug safety to consumer product safety recalls. In turn, the adverse reporting systems have also been brought together ensuring that when a health professional or consumer wants to report an issue to Health Canada, they can do so easily.
This increased access to the important and timely information on our new Web site furthers the department's mission of helping the people of Canada maintain and improve their health.
What changes have been made to the new Health Canada Web site?
Among the many changes we have made to the Web site, the most significant include:
- You don't need to know how the department is organized to find the information you want - all of our 60,000+ pages are now organized by subject using terms you can understand;
- One site, One look. We have combined 100 or more Health Canada sites into one site. In doing this, we have distinguished the key subject areas of our site through the use of vibrant colours and common templates.
- More ways to find the information you need - and to get there quicker !!! We have increased the number of access points you can use to find the information you are looking for. Find information by:
What will I find on the new Web site?
From First Nations and Inuit health to drug and health product safety, information about the renewal of our health care system and one-click access to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating (the single most requested publication from Health Canada), the new Health Canada Web site provides easy entry into these and many other health topics that are important to Canadians.
What do I do if I can't find the information I referred to quite often on the old Health Canada Web site?
We have made every effort to ensure that links we had on the old site get redirected to the same document, page or at least the same area on the new site. When redesigning a site this size, there will inevitably, be some confusion until people feel more comfortable with how the new site works but if you still can't find the information you are looking for, we suggest the following:
What improvements to the Web site can we expect to see in the future?
These recent changes have been a significant undertaking and we hope to continue the momentum with continued improvements.
The new Public Involvement & Consultations section is the new single-window into all of the public involvement activities that enable Health Canada to fulfill its legislative mandate, deliver programs, launch new initiatives and build public trust. Get involved today.
MedEffect provides centralized access to relevant and reliable health product safety information as it becomes available. The team working on MedEffect has plans to expand the services available through their Web site (i.e. filing of adverse reaction report via the Web, etc.) in the coming months.
Overall, we hope to offer more engaging and interactive content on issues that are the most relevant to you. Whether it's repackaging existing content to make it easier to understand and use for the average Canadian or using more dynamic media (e.g. video, Flash presentation, etc.) to make our information more engaging, we are committed to using our Web site to more effectively communicate with all Canadians.
What if I want to ask a question about, or offer some feedback on, the new Web site?
If you have a question or comment about the new site, please send them through our General Inquiries Centre.
If you want to report a broken link or have a question about a technical issue with our Web site, please contact our Webmaster.
Where do I find information on ...?
Follow the links below to our most requested sections of our site:
... or these links to other popular areas based on the questions we receive through our feedback:
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