BC Metabolic Nutrition Program

Referral information

Patients need a referral from a physician who specializes in inborn errors of metabolism to use this service. The Biochemical Genetics Clinic at BC Children’s Hospital or Vancouver General Hospital makes referrals as part of the provincial program.

Please contact our office for details on referrals.

The information below is for patients and families who are already part of the program.

For more detailed information, please download our Metabolic Formulas Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

Metabolic formulas

Your physician and dietitian will let us know what specialty formula to give you. We provide BC residents with the formulas they need to manage their own or their child’s condition, free of charge.

Please contact the BC Metabolic Nutrition Program via phone or email when you need to order more formula or amino acids. We order the formula you have been prescribed specially for you.

We need minimum 4 weeks' notice to fill most formula orders.

Be ready to provide the following information when placing your order:

• Two unique client identifiers (i.e. the patient’s first and last name and date of birth or personal health number)
• Product required, based on a valid prescription form
• Remaining amount of product on hand
• Preferred flavour
• Blood dot cards and/or lancets required
• Delivery address/contact information

We will ship your metabolic formula directly to you from BC Children's Hospital.

For more detailed information, please download our Metabolic Formulas Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

Contact us

• Phone: 604-875-2034
• Toll-free: 1-866-727-7759
• Fax: 604-875-3205
• Email: metabolicnutrition@cw.bc.ca

Low-protein foods

Your dietitian will talk to you if you need these special foods. All the low-protein foods you wish to purchase with your subsidy come directly to you from our approved vendor, National Food Distribution Centre. This includes a wide variety of cold-ship and shelf-stable low-protein foods.

The vendor will deliver the order right to your home. You should receive dry or shelf-stable foods within one week. The vendor delivers cold-ship or frozen foods by air from Montreal and then couriers them to your door. You should receive cold foods within five to ten days from when you placed the order.

The availability of low-protein foods will change as new products become available.

Download a list of food available as of 2023 (PDF).

For more detailed information, please download our Low-protein Foods Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).

Placing an order

Telephone orders

Place telephone orders through the National Food Distribution Centre:

• Phone: 1-888-606-6676 ext. 225
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 6 to 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (PST). Closed weekends and statutory holidays

Online orders

To place an online order, you must have an online account. To create an account, call the National Food Distribution Centre at the above number and ask to create a new online order account. They will ask you to provide your name and email address.

Once registered, you may order via the web page: https://nfdc.info/home.php.