Medicines Act 1981

3: Meaning of medicine, new medicine, prescription medicine, and restricted medicine

You could also call this:

"What kinds of medicines are there and what do they mean?"

Illustration for Medicines Act 1981

When you hear the word medicine, it means a substance or article used to help people get better. It is made or imported to be given to humans for a therapeutic purpose. You can find more information about what is considered a medicine in the Food Act 1981 and the Radiation Safety Act 2016. You might also come across the term new medicine, which refers to a medicine that has not been widely available in New Zealand before. This can include medicines that have not been available in the last five years. There are also different types of medicines, such as pharmacy-only medicines, prescription medicines, and restricted medicines. Pharmacy-only medicines can only be sold in pharmacies or hospitals, or in certain shops with a licence. Prescription medicines can only be sold with a prescription from a doctor or other authorised person. Restricted medicines can only be sold by a pharmacist in a pharmacy or hospital. These rules help keep you safe when taking medicines.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM54687.


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3Meaning of medicine, new medicine, prescription medicine, and restricted medicine

  1. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, medicine

  2. means any substance or article that—
    1. is manufactured, imported, sold, or supplied wholly or principally for administering to 1 or more human beings for a therapeutic purpose; and
      1. achieves, or is likely to achieve, its principal intended action in or on the human body by pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic means; and
      2. includes any substance or article—
        1. that is manufactured, imported, sold, or supplied wholly or principally for use as a therapeutically active ingredient in the preparation of any substance or article that falls within paragraph (a); or
          1. of a kind or belonging to a class that is declared by regulations to be a medicine for the purposes of this Act; but
          2. does not include—
            1. a medical device; or
              1. any food within the meaning of section 2 of the Food Act 1981; or
                1. any radioactive material within the meaning of section 5(1) of the Radiation Safety Act 2016; or
                  1. any animal food in which a medicine (within the meaning of paragraph (a) or (b)) is incorporated; or
                    1. any animal remedy; or
                      1. any substance or article of a kind or belonging to a class that is declared by regulations not to be a medicine for the purposes of this Act.
                      2. Repealed
                      3. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

                        new medicine means—

                        1. any medicine that has not been generally available in New Zealand—
                          1. before the commencement of this Act; or
                            1. at any time during the period of 5 years immediately preceding the date on which it is proposed to become so available:
                            2. any medicine that, immediately before the commencement of Part 2, was a therapeutic drug to which section 12 of the Food and Drug Act 1969 applied, and in respect of the sale or distribution of which the Minister had not given his consent under that section:
                              1. any medicine that becomes a medicine within the meaning of this Act for the first time after the commencement of this Act:
                                1. any medicine that is referred to the Minister under section 24(5)

                                  pharmacy-only medicine means a medicine that is declared by regulations made under this Act or by a notice given under section 106 to be one that, except as may be permitted by the regulations, may be—

                                  1. sold by retail only—
                                    1. in a pharmacy or hospital; or
                                      1. in any shop described in section 51(2) and in accordance with a licence issued under Part 3; or
                                      2. supplied in circumstances corresponding to retail sale only—
                                        1. in a pharmacy or hospital; or
                                          1. in any shop described in section 51(2) and in accordance with a licence issued under Part 3; or
                                            1. in accordance with a standing order

                                            prescription medicine means a medicine that is declared by regulations or by a notice given under section 106 to be one that, except as may be permitted by regulations, may be—

                                            1. sold by retail only under a prescription given by an authorised prescriber, veterinarian, or delegated prescriber; and
                                              1. supplied in circumstances corresponding to retail sale only—
                                                1. under a prescription given by an authorised prescriber, veterinarian, or delegated prescriber; or
                                                  1. in accordance with a standing order; and
                                                  2. administered only in accordance with—
                                                    1. a prescription given by an authorised prescriber, veterinarian, or delegated prescriber; or
                                                      1. a standing order

                                                      restricted medicine means a medicine that is declared by regulations made under this Act or by a notice given under section 106 to be one that, except as may be permitted by the regulations, may be—

                                                      1. sold by retail only by a pharmacist in a pharmacy or hospital; or
                                                        1. supplied in circumstances corresponding to retail sale only—
                                                          1. by a pharmacist in a pharmacy or hospital; or
                                                            1. in accordance with a standing order.

                                                          Compare
                                                          • Medicines Act 1968 s 130(1), (3), (5), (7) (UK)
                                                          Notes
                                                          • Section 3(1): replaced, on , by section 5(1) of the Medicines Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 141).
                                                          • Section 3(1)(c)(iii): amended, on , by section 99 of the Radiation Safety Act 2016 (2016 No 6).
                                                          • Section 3(2): repealed, on , by section 5(1) of the Medicines Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 141).
                                                          • Section 3(3) pharmacy-only medicine: substituted, on , by section 4(1) of the Medicines Amendment Act (No 3) 2003 (2003 No 84).
                                                          • Section 3(3) prescription medicine: replaced, on , by section 5(3) of the Medicines Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 141).
                                                          • Section 3(3) restricted medicine: substituted, on , by section 4(2) of the Medicines Amendment Act (No 3) 2003 (2003 No 84).