Health Canada says it will be expediting access to products that “may not fully meet” regulatory requirements, such as hand sanitizer and disinfectants, in its bid to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.
A statement sent on Wednesday night said that the move was made as an temporary measure to keep up with the “unprecedented demand and urgent need for products that can help limit the spread of COVID-19.”
The products are mainly going to include sanitizers, disinfectants and personal protective equipment like masks and gowns, as well as swabs.
According to the statement, the only regulatory differences in the products would be that they may not meet the packaging, labelling or bilingual requirements of items that are sold Canada-wide.
Products that are not authorized for sale in Canada, but are authorized or registered in “jurisdictions with similar regulatory frameworks and quality assurances,” will also be part of items whose access will be expedited.