National Framework on Food Allergy Act

This bill requires the federal Minister of Health to develop a national framework on food allergy, working with provincial and territorial health representatives, Indigenous governing bodies, healthcare professionals, patient groups, and other stakeholders. The framework must address ways to speed up diagnosis and care, incorporate evidence-based prevention practices such as early introduction of allergens to infants, ensure reliable access to medications like epinephrine devices, improve access to accurate food ingredient information, boost public awareness of food allergy and anaphylaxis, and support research into prevention and treatment.

The bill also directs the Minister to create an advisory board of up to 15 unpaid members, appointed for renewable terms of up to three years, including government representatives, Indigenous representatives, advocacy groups, health professionals, and people living with food allergies or their caregivers. This board will meet at least twice a year and advise the Minister on food allergy issues.

Finally, the law sets reporting deadlines: the Minister must table the completed framework in Parliament within 18 months of the law taking effect and publish it online shortly after. A follow-up report assessing how well the framework is working, along with conclusions and recommendations, must be tabled within three years after the first report, and also published online.

This bill requires the Minister of Health to develop a national framework on food allergy and creates an advisory board to advise the Minister on food allergy matters.

• Framework development — the Minister of Health must develop the framework in consultation with provincial/territorial officials, Indigenous governing bodies, health professionals, patient groups and other stakeholders, covering diagnosis and care access, prevention practices, medication access (including epinephrine devices), ingredient information, public awareness, and research support; the specific measures are left to the Minister to design rather than being set out in the bill.
• Advisory board — the Minister of Health establishes the board and appoints up to 15 members at pleasure for renewable terms of up to three years, and selects the chair; the Minister has discretion over who is appointed, drawing from categories such as government representatives, Indigenous governing bodies, advocacy groups, health professionals, and people with food allergy or their caregivers.
• Board operations — members serve without remuneration, and the board must meet at least twice a year at times and places set by the chair; it has an advisory role only, with no decision-making or enforcement power stated.
• Reporting obligations — the Minister must table a report setting out the framework in Parliament within 18 months of the Act coming into force, and publish it online within 10 days of tabling.
• Effectiveness review — a further report assessing the framework's effectiveness, with conclusions and recommendations, must be tabled within three years after the first report is tabled, and published online within 10 days.
• Oversight — the Act's only accountability mechanisms are the two mandated reports tabled in Parliament; no mechanism is stated for parliamentary approval, amendment power over the framework, or a sunset clause.