About us Mō mātou

About the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand health system. 

Regulation & legislation Ngā here me ngā ture

Health providers and products we regulate, and laws we administer.

Strategies & initiatives He rautaki, he tūmahi hou

How we’re working to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Māori health Hauora Māori

Increasing access to health services, achieving equity and improving outcomes for Māori.

Statistics & research He tatauranga, he rangahau

Data and insights from our health surveys, research and monitoring.

Displaying 1 - 15 of 1191 results
  • Mental Health Bill introduced to the House

    Publication date:

    The new Mental Health Bill has been introduced and is now publicly available. The Mental Health Bill will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, which is more than thirty years old and no longer fit for purpose.  

    • News article
    • Mental health
  • Rollout of new medicines across New Zealand begins

    Publication date:

    1 October marks the first day a range of new medicines, including cancer medicines, will start to become available in hospitals and health centres across New Zealand.

    • News article
    • Cancer
    • Medicines control
  • New funding for child and youth mental health survey

    Publication date:

    The Ministry of Health welcomes the Government’s commitment to ongoing funding of $2 million per year for a Child and Youth Mental Health and Addiction Prevalence Survey.

    • News article
    • Mental health
    • Addiction
    • Child health
    • Youth health
  • Vaping regulations coming into effect 1 October

    Publication date:

    The deadline for all vaping devices to have removeable batteries and a child safety mechanism is coming up on 1  October 2024. 

    • News article
    • Vaping
  • Medsafe updating advice on nitrous oxide abuse

    Publication date:

    Medsafe has updated its advice on the law in relation to the supply and use of nitrous oxide for recreational use.

    • News article
    • Medicines control
    • Psychoactives
  • Series of prosecutions begins for illegal cigarette and vape sales

    Publication date:

    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.

    • News article
    • Tobacco
    • Vaping
  • Three additional ‘Safe Areas’ announced

    Publication date:

    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. 

    • News article
    • Abortion
  • Ministry prosecutes vape retailer

    Publication date:

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

    • News article
    • Vaping
  • Consultation to update the New Zealand clinical trial regulatory guidelines

    Publication date:

    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.

    • News article
    • Medicines control
  • Pause on Surgical mesh update

    Publication date:

    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). 

    • News article
    • Elective services
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