Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

NZ regulator of natural health products proposed

Updated at 11:41 am on 20 March 2010

The Government and the Green Party are proposing a stand-alone New Zealand regulator for natural health products.

The former Labour-led Government was forced to set aside legislation setting up a trans-Tasman therapeutic goods agency because it didn't have the support to pass it.

The new proposal has been developed as part of the memorandum of understanding between National and the Green Party.

Green MP Sue Kedgley says they've tried to come up with a regulator which can assure consumers of the quality of natural products without imposing high costs on the industry.

The industry body, Natural Products New Zealand, says anything that puts the products into a regime where they're taken more seriously has to be a good thing.

A two-month public consultation is being held on the proposals, with an aim of introducing legislation to Parliament later this year.

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