Government regulations on DMSO in Canada

[CelticWarrior]

I've recently wanted to find myself some DMSO and out of several pharmacies in Ontario, Canada it seems that only one I found had actually been able to sell it to me without any complications.

It seems that during the past several months (or maybe years) the government of Ontario has done something to make the accessibility of DMSO quite difficult. Many of the pharmacies I contacted were insistant on needing a prescription to get the stuff. And it's very suspicious that they would need me to see a doctor to get a naturally occuring compound eh?

The first pharmacist I called was saying that under no circumstances, however much I wanted it that day he would not sell it to me without a prescription. The guy was pretty unpleasant when I tried to argue that this substance was something that should really not require so much "protection" and restriction, as well he thought I shouldn't ask him anymore about it so that was very strange too. I mean when I told him I could get it elsewhere without a prescription and it was readily available, but just too far for my taste to go and get it at the time, it was rediculous the way he was coming off. I was talking to a girl at a health food store where I bought some bowellia supplements and she was telling me how they have banned it from some of their related companies and that included some pharmacies, too. So what the heck is going on here?
Are there government regulations coming into effect here that are reducing the accessiblity of DMSO? I would think that sounds crazy except there's other natural things that have been banned from health stores that the girl in the store mentioned and that seems like a pattern to me. Could they be controlled by a company or organization to put strict regulations on something that's good for you?

In any case, it's a crime to rest of us who seek alternative remedies to the standard north american created medications and all of thier bull crap on how they help (when we all know they cause other problems that are sometimes quite obvious)

Any thoughts here might make for an interesting topic...

 

[Laura]

I dunno. It was "restricted" sort of back when I first tried it over 10 yrs ago in FL. I just went down and bought it from the local hay/tack/feed story where they had it for horses.

 

[StrangeCaptain]

I dunno. It was "restricted" sort of back when I first tried it over 10 yrs ago in FL. I just went down and bought it from the local hay/tack/feed story where they had it for horses.

Yeap... My mom told me it is still carried at Feed & Seed's in Tennessee. Don't what these kinds of stores are called in Canada... There are always stores like that in country areas. You could go there and get some for your... uhhh... horse. Yeah... Your horse...

 

[CelticWarrior]

I dunno. It was "restricted" sort of back when I first tried it over 10 yrs ago in FL. I just went down and bought it from the local hay/tack/feed story where they had it for horses.

Yeap... My mom told me it is still carried at Feed & Seed's in Tennessee. Don't what these kinds of stores are called in Canada... There are always stores like that in country areas. You could go there and get some for your... uhhh... horse. Yeah... Your horse...

Oh yeah, good idea "I'll take uh 500 mL's for my stallion please... hi ho silver away!"

I guess there's just about any other alternative place to get it like in the country parts around the city. Although i hate that i have to travel so far out to get it that way. Ah well, it's worth it.

 

[Gonzo]

In Canada, DMSO is regulated under the Food and Drugs regulations, which cover both human and veterinary usage, by Health Canada, the department responsible for pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals and aspects of food safety. For human use, DMSO is prescribed for interstitial cystitis and scleroderma. These are the only two on-label or regulated uses for humans from what I can see in the regs.

When you talk to a pharmacy, a heavily regulated business, they will only see things from a prescriptive perspective. They are usually unaware of the off-label usage of DMSO, perhaps with the exception of chelation therapy by health practitioners to remove heavy metals.

You might be interested to know that Health Canada held a consultation in late 2009 regarding DMSO and two other regulated Medical ingredients. Some information is available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/consultation/drug-medic/project_projet_1656-eng.php

Dimethyl sulfoxide - The current listing for dimethyl sulfoxide (also referred to as DMSO) would be revised to retain prescription status for human use when dimethyl sulfoxide is sold for the treatment of interstitial cystitis or scleroderma and for all veterinary uses. All other human uses for dimethyl sulfoxide at any strength and in any dosage form would be exempt from prescription status. Dimethyl sulfoxide is found in many natural sources such as broad beans, alfalfa and garlic.

Drugs containing dimethyl sulfoxide for human use are available in Canada with a prescription for treatment of interstitial cystitis (a urinary bladder condition) and scleroderma (abnormal growth of connective tissue that supports the skin). Several products are currently available as prescription drugs for veterinary use to treat conditions such as ear inflammation in dogs. These products would retain prescription status.

I searched Canada Gazette, where all changes to Acts and regs are published, and found that last December (2011), they amended the Food and Drugs Regulations (http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2011/2011-12-07/html/sor-dors275-eng.html)

...
Manufacturers will be able to apply for market authorization for products containing the exempted strengths, uses, routes of administration or dosages of these medicinal ingredients as natural health products pursuant to the Natural Health Products Regulations once the regulatory amendment comes into force. There are no known market-authorized health products containing these medicinal ingredients whose status will be affected by this regulatory amendment.

Description of the medicinal ingredients:

Dimethyl sulfoxide — The current listing in Part Ⅰ for dimethyl sulfoxide (also referred to as DMSO) is revised to retain prescription status for dimethyl sulfoxide for veterinary use, or when sold for the treatment of interstitial cystitis or scleroderma in humans. All other human uses for dimethyl sulfoxide at any strength and in any dosage form are exempt from prescription status. Dimethyl sulfoxide is found in many natural sources such as broad beans, alfalfa and garlic.

Drugs containing dimethyl sulfoxide for human use are available in Canada with a prescription for treatment of interstitial cystitis (a urinary bladder condition) and scleroderma (abnormal growth of connective tissue that supports the skin). Several products are currently available as prescription drugs for veterinary use to treat conditions such as ear inflammation in dogs. These products would retain prescription status.

Dimethyl sulfoxide is sold as a prescription medicinal ingredient (without exemptions) in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. Revising the listing for DMSO on Schedule F results in the retention of prescription status when the ingredient is sold for specific indications that require diagnosis and treatment by a practitioner while at the same time allowing exemptions for nonprescription drug products containing DMSO that come from natural sources such as garlic and alfalfa that would not require practitioner intervention.
...

So, this says that when DMSO is sold for certain specific uses, it requires a prescription, but allows for exemptions for the use or sale of it for other purposes without a prescription, provided it come from "natural sources" - an intentionally vague term. I don't understand the language enough, but this might be done so Health Canada ensures it regulates all usages, be it prescriptive and off-label, so that, in the future, they can easily revoke an exemption for a specific use.

FWIW,
Gonzo

Edit: typos

 

[CelticWarrior]

So, this says that when DMSO is sold for certain specific uses, it requires a prescription, but allows for exemptions for the use or sale of it for other purposes without a prescription, provided it come from "natural sources" - an intentionally vague term. I don't understand the language enough, but this might be done so Health Canada ensures it regulates all usages, be it prescriptive and off-label, so that, in the future, they can easily revoke an exemption for a specific use.

It does not seem fair even in light of using a prescription but what other choice does one have when governments deem something (even naturally occuring) to be regulated. I'll be okay with the fact that one seller I'm aware of does not require the use of a prescription and is not inclined on changing that policy anytime soon.

Dimethyl sulfoxide, for veterinary use or when sold for the treatment of interstitial cystitis or scleroderma in humans is not satisfactory when it comes to a compound that is intended for use as an antioxidant. I mean why make it difficult for someone to get it for a perfectly good reason such as pain or inflammation and not have it regulated by physical investigation, even if only once every month. But, that's probably not realistic since it's a lot of work to do it that way. Just very frustrating that I have to go so far to get it (at least until I move back home to where it's sold more freely).