What is this Regulatory Wayfinder?
These pages provide information on what is involved in the regulation of biotechnology in New Zealand, and links to where you can get further information. This site provides an overview of what is regulated and why, who is involved in the regulation and what is involved in the process. It is intended to be suitable for a wide range of people - from researchers to the general public.
Information on these pages covers the regulation of:
- Foods derived from gene technology
- Veterinary medicines and other agricultural compounds
- Genetically modified and other “new” organisms
- Human medicines
The sign post icons are used throughout the Regulatory Wayfinder to indicate which of these areas some of the information on the following pages relate to. Note that the regulation of genetically modified and other "new" organisms in New Zealand can be very different from how such organisms are regulated in other countries. New Zealand's system involves a one stop shop for all new organisms, genetically modified and non-modified organisms are treated similarly, and there is independent decision making that may involve public participation. This is described in the Genetically modified and other "new" organisms section.
This site also has information on requirements for
- Ethical approval for procedures involving humans or human tissues
- Animals used in research, testing and teaching
The Regulatory Wayfinder includes both text based information describing regulatory requirements and processes, and an Interactive Guide that provides summary diagrams of regulatory steps. Please consult both the text and diagrams to get a fuller understanding of the regulatory requirements. You may want to start with the Frequently Asked Questions page to see if your query is answered there.
The Interactive Guide contains some PDF documents and the Regulatory Wayfinder also links to PDF documents on other websites, so you will need a copy of Adobe Reader to view these documents. You can download a free copy from this site.
What the Regulatory Wayfinder does not cover
This site does not discuss the benefits and risks of genetic modification or other types of biotechnology, although you can find information on these from some of the websites mentioned on these pages. If you are interested in other (non-regulatory) information about biotechnology have a look at the Biotechnology opportunities and Biotechnology challenges pages.
This site does not include detailed information on the regulation of hazardous substances (which may also be used in biotechnology). Some introductory information on the use of hazardous substances in research is provided on the new organism pages of the Regulatory Wayfinder, but more detailed information can be found on the Environmental Risk Management Authority's website.
This site only provides an overview of regulatory requirements. If you are intending applying for a regulatory approval you should contact the appropriate regulatory agency for more detailed information.
How often will information be added or changed on this site?
This site will probably be updated once a year or following major regulatory changes. Sign up to receive notifications of changes to this site.
