In New Zealand, animal health products are regulated by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act and the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act.
Regulation of animal medicines is based on five priorities:
- Efficacy
- Safety
- Animal welfare
- Trade issues (residues)
- Food safety
The prevention of suffering and maintenance of animal welfare is a legal obligation of animal owners.
Harmonisation in New Zealand
In a world with 196 countries, it’s not surprising that governments regulate animal health products in different ways.
Harmonisation attempts to create a unified approach to the regulation of agricultural compounds.
We support VICH, a trilateral programme aimed at harmonising technical requirements for veterinary product registration.
We also support the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation in 1963, Codex develops harmonised international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of the consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.
