What Is an NPN? A Canadian Shopper’s Guide
Learn where to find a Natural Product Number, what information it connects to, and how to verify a licensed product.
NPN means Natural Product Number
Licensed natural health products sold in Canada display an eight-digit Natural Product Number, or NPN, on the label. Health Canada’s public database connects that number to the licensed product record.
What you can verify
The Licensed Natural Health Products Database may show the product name, licence holder, medicinal and non-medicinal ingredients, dosage form, recommended use and risk information. The database is the best place to verify the exact licensed record rather than relying on a marketplace description.
How to check a product
• Find the eight-digit NPN on the package.
• Open Health Canada’s Licensed Natural Health Products Database.
• Search the number without guessing the product name.
• Compare the product, ingredients, recommended use and warnings with the package.
An NPN does not replace label reading
Always follow the conditions of use on the current product label. Check the dose, duration, warnings, allergens and storage directions, and speak with a healthcare professional when you have questions.