Health Inquiry is Good News for Consumers

Wednesday 11 Sep 2002 Heather Roy Press Releases -- Health

The decision by the Health Select Committee to hold an inquiry into Labour's proposed Trans-Tasman Agency to regulate therapeutic products is a step in the right direction, ACT Health Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"New Zealand consumers will get a rough deal under the Government's proposal, and I am delighted the select committee has chosen to conduct its own inquiry.

"ACT has opposed the creation of a Trans-Tasman Agency since it was first proposed by the National Government. It is excellent to see National has changed its position to support common-sense and individual choice.

"We have a very healthy, vibrant and growing dietary supplements industry in this country with a lot of further growth potential. The Government favours Australian legislation to regulate every single herb, vitamin, mineral and nutritional ingredient before it can be sold.

"When the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act was introduced in 1995, 850 submitters clearly showed the public wanted easy access to supplements, didn't want them to be classified as drugs and did not want to pay higher prices because of regulation.

"The select committee's inquiry is an excellent step in the right direction," Mrs Roy said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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