Health Protection Bill passes first hurdle

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the first reading of legislation to make sunbeds R18 and improve the management of serious infectious diseases.

“The Health (Protection) Amendment Bill brings together two separate but equally important sets of changes which will protect New Zealanders from these preventable harms,” says Dr Coleman.

If passed, the Bill will stop the harm caused to people aged under 18 years by artificial (UV) tanning machines.

“There is clear international evidence that UV tanning devices, including sunbeds, significantly increase the risk of skin cancers among users and that younger people are at higher risk,” says Dr Coleman.

Sunbed age restriction has already been adopted in other jurisdictions such as South Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and California.

“The Bill adds new provisions for the management of infectious diseases,” says Dr Coleman.

The changes include:

• Improve monitoring of three additional infectious diseases infections; HIV, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis.
• Strengthen the contact tracing process for all serious infectious diseases listed in the Health Act.
• Enable Court Orders, in very serious cases, which would require any person who poses a risk of spreading disease to take appropriate steps to limit the disease spread, such as isolation or undergoing medical tests. This would again apply to all serious infectious diseases listed in the Health Act.

“These amendments will help with the routine and day to day management of infectious diseases such as measles and whooping cough (pertussis),” says Dr Coleman.

“I believe this Bill provides a balance; protecting individual rights while still protecting the health of the wider public from risks arising from significant infectious diseases and risks from sunbeds.”