Hundreds of popular products will be forced off shelves by a new body that will regulate medicines, international cosmetics heavyweight Johnson & Johnson claims.
"More than 1000 of New Zealanders' best-loved cosmetics, sunscreens and dietary supplements will be unavailable under the Government's move to create a joint TherapeuticGoods Agency with Australia," the company said last night.
"Popular Kiwi brands affected by the proposed legislation include Yves St Laurent, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal ... and many more."
State Services Minister Annette King would not comment last night on Johnson & Johnson's claim but said there had been a huge amount of misinformation peddled about the legislation, which was aimed at shutting out "snake-oil merchants".
"The whole debate has been about manufacturers but the legislation is about public safety," she said.
The bill to create the agency, before Parliament's health select committee until next month, has divided the House and the "natural" health products industry.
Several marches have been held around the country to protest against the legislation.
Under the proposed rules, supplements and other complementary medicines would be regulated.
The manufacturing factories would have to meet certain standards and the therapeutic claims made for the products would have to be backed by science. The level of regulatory control would depend on the risk of the product, ranging from supplements at the bottom to medicines at the top.
Opponents say the cost of compliance will force small manufacturers to close.
Johnson & Johnson quotes cosmetics industry representative Garth Wyllie as saying that under the proposed rules some popular sunscreens will go.
It also quotes a leading skin specialist, Dr Kevin McKerrow, saying many of his skin-cancer patients use high SPF (sun protection factor) sunscreens which will go under the rule change.
But Michelle Beckett, executive director of Natural Products NZ, disputed the claim that more than 1000 products would go and questioned the value of high-SPF sunscreens.
