Public submissions are being invited on a bill that aims to maintain consumer access to dietary supplements until a new
regulatory regime is developed.
The dietary supplements industry is fast growing. It covers an increasing range of health and wellness products taken in
a variety of edible forms, such as vitamin and mineral supplements, capsules of omega-3 fish oils, and glucosamine
tablets.
There are currently Regulations (the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985) in place to cover how dietary supplements are
made and labelled. These include some specific risk-mitigating measures, such as stating the maximum daily doses for
specific vitamins and minerals, and prohibiting misleading statements and therapeutic claims. The Regulations expire on
1 March 2021, before a new natural health products regime is likely to be put in place. If the Regulations expire before
a new scheme is in place, dietary supplements will be regulated by the general laws applying to food. These general laws
do not address the specific health risks associated with dietary supplements. This may increase the risk of unsafe and
unsuitable dietary supplements being sold.
The Food (Continuation of Dietary Supplements Regulations) Amendment Bill would extend the expiry date of the
Regulations by five years, from 1 March 2021 to 1 March 2026. The Bill’s objective is to maintain consumer access to
dietary supplements sold in New Zealand until a fit-for-purpose regulatory regime is expected to fully commence. It
would do this by amending the two sections of the Food Act 2014 that implement an expiry date for the Regulations.Tell the Primary Production Committee what you think
Make a submission on the bill.For more details about the bill: