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Here are some examples of how the Food and Drugs Act Liaison Office (FDALO) has helped Canadians:
How we helped: Working one-on-one with the business owner, the FDALO advisor helped him identify various constructive options available to him.
Outcome: With support from our Office, the business owner was able to successfully communicate directly with Health Canada and resolve this issue to his satisfaction.
How we helped: The FDALO advisor worked one-on-one with the individual to identify the key issues for her. The advisor also contacted the relevant officials at Health Canada for clarification.
Once the issues were clearly defined, the individual was able to get the information that she was seeking from Health Canada. She learned that the department was already making the changes that were important to her.
Our Office was also able to help the individual identify and follow-up with the other jurisdictions that were implicated in this case, which helped diminish her frustration that "Health Canada was not doing anything to help."
Outcome: The person was pleased with the intervention, that someone was listening to her and the fact that Health Canada was already addressing her concerns.
A consumer received a notice that a product he was importing was denied entry into Canada and that Health Canada would notify him of the shipment's status by a certain date. Several weeks past that date, the consumer has heard nothing from the Department.
How we helped: We contacted the appropriate regional representative of Health Canada and obtained information about the file, including the issues that were causing a delay.
Outcome: With this information, the consumer was able to re-establish contact with the Department and also able to claim a re-imbursement from his credit card company.
The request was based on a third-party complaint that the product posed a health risk. After investigating the issue, the inspector requested that the business owner remove the product from the market, and provide further information about it. The business owner felt the situation was poorly handled.
How we helped: We worked with both sides to clarify expectations and timeframes.
Outcome: With positive communication restored, the business owner felt more empowered and that Health Canada was taking her concerns into consideration, while carrying out its mandate for ensuring public safety. The Inspector also appreciated the opportunity to work with the person to clarify the expectations and to mend the professional relationship.