News Ngā karere

A tobacco and vape retailer and his employee have received fines totalling $8000 after an investigation by Health New Zealand led to the Ministry of Health filing charges against them. These are the first sentencings in a series of prosecutions currently being undertaken by the Ministry against retailers identified as repeat offenders by Health New Zealand investigations.

Key findings and recommendations on the health and wellbeing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle have been published today.

New ‘Safe Areas’ will be in place around three abortion service providers from 27 September 2024, to protect the safety, wellbeing, privacy and dignity of people who are accessing or providing abortion services. 

A Christchurch shopkeeper has been fined $56,000 for the illegal sale of vapes and cigarettes, including selling vapes to minors.  

The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora has published the 2023 Health and Independence Report. 

The redesigned Ministry of Health website has been launched today.

Today the Ministry of Health – Mānatu Hauora has opened consultation on the proposed strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm for the next three years.

A plan aiming to streamline clinical trial reporting procedures in some circumstances is now out for consultation. Medsafe is seeking public feedback on a series of proposed updates to the regulatory guidelines for people conducting clinical trials for medicines and medical devices.

It’s been one year since the Director-General of Health, Dr Diana Sarfati, supported a pause in the use of surgical mesh to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on the recommendation of the Surgical Mesh Roundtable (MRT). 

The Ministry of Health has published the Registrar (assisted dying) Annual Report to the Minister of Health, covering the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. 

Invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS) will become a ‘notifiable’ disease on 1 October 2024. In addition, Cabinet has now also removed COVID-19 from the list of quarantinable infectious diseases.

The Ministry of Health has published New Zealand’s first dedicated, health system-led strategy for people with rare disorders.

The Ministry of Health will be inviting the public to share their views on the End of Life Choice Act as part of a review of the Act.

The Ministry of Health has published a position statement on ‘abortion reversal’ to warn New Zealanders against this unsafe and scientifically unsupported practice.

Today the 2023 Drug Harm Index, produced by the National Drug Intelligence Bureau (NDIB) has been published on the Ministry of Health website