The Therapeutic Products Bill aims to introduce a new regime to modernise the way medicines, medical devices and natural health products are regulated — but has generated resistance the government blames on misinformation.
If the bill, which is in the public submission stage until midnight Sunday, goes through the therapeutic claims made by natural health products and pharmaceuticals would be scrutinised by a regulator.
This regulator would check products for safety and efficacy. Producers would be charged for those assessments along with fees for permits and licences.
One benefit of the bill for producers is the ability to make claims about the tested health benefits of their products.
Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare said "there are cowboys in the sector, and it's not specifically pointing to Rongoā Māori, but there are others who are utilising a natural health product, selling it as snake oil."
But, many working in natural medicine, from vitamin manufacturers to boutique producers to Rongoā Māori, fear added red tape will stifle the industry.
"The benefits of being able to make therapeutic claims mean the customer is going to know exactly what the product is going to do for them. It means that any claims not backed by scientific evidence can't be made," natural supplements businessman Peter Lerke said.
However, he warned that "If it's passed in its current form, it could be disastrous."
"Unless there are changes, natural health products can be dragged into a higher cost, higher risk regime for regulation."
Natural health products are a booming sector with 20,000 products on the market — contributing $2.3 billion to our GDP annually, according to industry advocate Samantha Grey.
"There are some good things in the bill but too much red tape, too many costs and constraints on New Zealand businesses with very little benefit," Grey added.
Henare expressed concern about people having misinformed views on the bill, highlighted by online campaigns a barrage of emails sent to parliament.
"There seems to be a movement that is rallying against parts of this bill and particularly the natural health products and I'm afraid to say a vast number of those are due to misinformation."
Rongoā Māori is traditional Māori healing and wellbeing, grounded in te ao Māori.
Some practitioners are concerned about the bill's complexity and the way it lumps Rongoā Māori in with other natural health products.
"We want a clause in that bill that Rongoā should not be in there because it is its own matauranga, it is its own whare," Rongoā practitioner Hemaima Wiremu said.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said many are likening the bill to the the Tohunga Suppression Act, which attempted to replace Rongoā Māori with western medicines.
"That's part of the misinformation," Henare said. "We want to make sure that we can continue to protect Rongoā, mātauranga Māori. If it means that at some point in time as the bill progresses, there are options here — include it, don't include it."
So far, around 10,300 submissions have been received on the bill, with public consultation closing midnight Sunday.
Q+A is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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