The Ministry of Health is seeking international help to confirm the ingredients in a type of party pill that has flooded the market since the BZP version was outlawed in April.
The ministry, which ordered an investigation into the new pills three months ago, says scientists are reasonably confident of the ingredients, but need to double-check their findings with international laboratories doing similar research.
A decision will then be made on the level of risk, it says.
The ministry says initial reports indicate that there are no illicit drug substances in the pills.
The Drug Foundation is appalled that the pills were allowed to be sold without the ministry knowing the contents. It believes this is a similar situation to the problems encountered when BZP first hit the New Zealand market.
