Bill should be binned, not shelved
“The unpopular Therapeutic Products and Medicines Bill has passed its use-by date and should be binned, not shelved” said DSC Leader, Stephnie de Ruyter, reacting to news that the Bill does not have sufficient support in parliament to be passed into law and is to be put aside.
“An opportunity now exists for the government to respond to calls from the natural health products industry to establish a New Zealand regulatory body” Ms de Ruyter said.
“It is widely accepted that a regulatory body is necessary to develop a sensible system of rules, to ensure labelling laws, to manage risk and quality control, and to encourage innovation. Logically, this should be a New Zealand regulatory body. That way the right of New Zealanders to access the safe medicines treatments of their choice is guaranteed.
“The Bill must not be resurrected. The establishment of a New Zealand regulatory body is the logical way forward” Ms de Ruyter concluded.
Published: July 2007