Submissions close in just a few days, on May 17th. PDF and Word copies of the consultation paper are available on-line.
The Ministry of Health list the key elements of the consulting paper as:
- product approval, based on notification of products on a database
- recognition of the decisions of trusted overseas regulators, where appropriate
- a list of prohibited ingredients
- a list of permitted ingredients and a process for adding new ingredients
- a list of permitted low-level natural health products claims
- labelling requirements
- advertising rules
- export certification, where it would assist companies to access overseas markets
- a tailor-made manufacturing code of practice
Instructions for submissions and related information are available on the MOH website. (You can email your submission to email to , which is probably the likely approach for most of us.)
I’m a little too busy (an huge understatement) to scour the internet widely for other views on this, but as a quick starter list,
- The New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists have placed their submission on-line (PDF file)
- Organic NZ has their say
- Auckland Skeptics in the Pub have a few thoughts on the matter
- One business owner is paraphrased as having said that ’a proposed list of approved ingredients ought to be flipped, to a proposed list of banned ingredients.’ This would seems to me to allow ingredients to be included without first demonstrating that they are safe, and thus seems an unsound idea.
I have to admit I’m a bit frustrated that I didn’t hear of this sooner, but I hope even at this late stage some may find time to contribute.
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Other articles on Code for life:
Pharmacists to say that homeopathy does not work?
An horrific case of natural health treatment of cancer
Homeopathy check-up: Not in the health system, disclaimers on labels
Time for disclaimers on remedies?, ’alternative’ or not
Homeopathic remedies in NZ pharmacies
Medical remedies-burden of proof lies with seller
Elsewhere on sciblogs:
One can only hope that something half-way decent comes of this move (the gummint’s, I mean!). It’s what I was thinking of when I wrote about Medsafe’s recall of those various ‘male health’ products; should have done a bit more searching around first, eh, & then I could have referenced this as well :(