4 April 2025
Animal and Plant Health NZ calling for greater harmonisation for veterinary medicines
Access to many veterinary medicines can be streamlined in a similar way to human medication, says Animal and Plant Health NZ.
Animal and Plant Health Chief Executive, Dr Liz Shackleton says, “Healthy animals benefit our communities in many ways and being able to treat them with the best and latest medication matters.”
“We welcome government’s announcement enabling human medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions.
“We look forward to the same approach being applied where possible to animal medicines,” says Dr Shackleton.
"Currently, animal medicines must be approved for use in New Zealand by the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Group within New Zealand Food Safety, and in some instances the Environmental Protection Authority as well."
The recent Ministry of Regulation Agricultural and Horticultural Products Regulatory Review recommends increasing the use of assessments by international regulators and supporting harmonisation of requirements, to help address regulator resource and prioritisation challenges highlighted in the review report.
“Our members fully support the ‘rule of two’ approach where veterinary medicines can be used here if it has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions and there is no unique to New Zealand consideration.
“This is also an immediate, tangible way for regulators to harmonise and ease workload.
“Our members are unclear why this opportunity has not already been seized. We have already provided regulators with options including this one for immediate steps to improve access to veterinary medicines by harmonising New Zealand’s approach where appropriate with trusted international regulators and best practice conventions.
“We look forward to seeing greater harmonisation as part of government agencies’ urgent implementation of the recommendations of the regulatory review,” says Dr Shackleton.
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For more information please contact, Linda Lim, Strategic Government Relations and Communications - phone 027 231 2834, or email linda.lim@aphanz.co.nz
Editors notes
Animal and Plant Health NZ are the peak industry association of companies that manufacture, distribute, and sell products that keep animals health and crops thriving. We provide a unified voice for our members to government, regulators, and stakeholders.
We take a lead role in managing issues of importance to the plant and animal science industries, for the end goal of healthy crops, healthy animals, and a healthy economy, while minimising risks to the public and the environment.
For more information about APHANZ, go to www.animalplanthealth.co.nz
