The Canadian pharmaceutical industry is pushing to make it easier for Canadians to buy and use herbal medicine, with the support of a government advisory panel.

The move to allow Canadians to purchase and use non-prescription medicines from foreign companies is part of the government’s efforts to diversify its supply chains, the Canadian Medical Association said Monday.

“The Canadian Medicines and Healthcare Products Administration (CMPA) and the Canadian Government are committed to supporting the medicinal use of herbal products and will continue to encourage this through the creation of new and expanded opportunities for international markets,” the group said in a statement.

Health Minister Rona Ambrose is expected to make a formal announcement about the changes at a news conference in Ottawa Monday.

The CMPA said the advisory panel has reviewed the medical uses of over 500 herbal medicines and found that more than 90 per cent are not needed for treatment and that there are several herbal products that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

But the panel found that many of the medicines are still available on the U