Dear Drs Brash and Hutchison
I have been following
the Government proposal
to create a Trans Tasman
Therapeutic Goods Agency
which would give the
power to control all
therapeutic products,
including natural health
products, medical devices
and pharmaceuticals to
an Australian based agency.
Until now I have been
glad to hear of National's
opposition to this proposal
but recently have heard
that despite its statements
against the Joint Agency,
National is considering
supporting the enabling
legislation. It has been
shown the TTTGA will
bring with it a
staggering increase in
compliance costs, the
death of many New Zealand
businesses and give a
commercial advantage
to their Australian counterparts.
You should
know that over 2 million
New Zealanders use
natural health products
and also this industry
is predominantly made
up of small to medium
local enterprises.
By risking the local
industry you are risking
the support of many
New Zealanders like
myself.
Natural Health Products
must NOT be treated like
pharmaceuticals or regulated
under the same body as
them.
Natural health products
simply do not have the
same risk as pharmaceuticals.
They need to be regulated
as the separate industry
that they are and that
regulation MUST be based
in, and controlled by,
New Zealand.
The proposals have already
been shown to achieve
nothing in the way of
increased public safety
Yours sincerely,
