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Thousands of protesters have turned out around New Zealand as a campaign continues against planned new rules on the sale of alternative medicines and dietary supplements.
Opponents of the Therapeutic Products and Medicines Bill, currently before parliament, say creating a single transtasman regulator will erode New Zealand's sovereignty. They are concerned the legislation will erode consumer rights by putting an Australian entity in charge of industry regulation.
The protesters say too much regulation won't work and people have the right to choose the medicines best suited to their own needs. Marches have now been held in Auckland, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin and Whangarei.
"The concern here is that this bill is going to have the net effect of taking product off the shelves, products that New Zealanders rely on...used to keeping themselves well," says Amy Adams from the New Zealand Health Trust.
Adams says the products that have no history of causing harm.
But scientists are warning about the dangers of popping too many supplements.
Researchers at Chicago's National Cancer Institute have found
men who overdo it with multivitamins run a higher risk of prostate
cancer. The study found men who consumed more than seven capsules a
week increased their risk of advanced cancer by about 30%.
