Medicines Act 1981

Application and administration of Act - Administration

9: Medicines Classification Committee

You could also call this:

"A group that helps decide which medicines need a prescription in New Zealand."

The Minister will appoint a group called the Medicines Classification Committee. You can read about how the Minister appoints people in section 8. This group gives advice to the Minister about medicines. The Committee tells the Minister which medicines should be available only with a prescription, which should be restricted, and which can be bought at a pharmacy. The Minister can also ask the Committee for advice on other matters related to medicines. The Minister must choose at least 7 people for the Committee. The Minister must think the person is suitable before appointing them. The people in the Committee work for 3 years, but they can be reappointed for another 3 years. If someone in the Committee is not doing their job, or does something wrong, the Minister can remove them. For the Committee to make decisions, half of the members plus one must be present. You can find more information about the Committee and its role in the Medicines Act.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM55017.

This page was last updated on 5 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Health and wellbeing > Public healthHealth and wellbeing > Healthcare services

8: Advisory and technical committees, or

"The Minister can appoint expert groups to help make decisions about medicines."

10: Medicines Review Committee established, or

"A committee to review medicines is set up to help keep you safe."

Part 1Application and administration of Act
Administration

9Medicines Classification Committee

The Minister shall appoint under section 8 an advisory committee to be called the Medicines Classification Committee, whose duty it shall be to make recommendations to the Minister in respect of the classification of any medicines as prescription medicines or restricted medicines or pharmacy-only medicines under this Act.
The Committee shall also consider and report to the Minister on such other matters in relation to any of the purposes of this Act as may from time to time be referred to it by the Minister.
The Minister must appoint at least 7 members to the Committee.
The Minister must not appoint a person to the Committee unless they are satisfied that the person is suitably qualified to be a member.
The members of the Committee hold office for a term of 3 years, subject to subsection (5), but any member may be reappointed for 1 further term.
Any member of the Committee may at any time be removed from office by the Minister for disability, neglect of duty, or misconduct proved to the satisfaction of the Minister, or may at any time resign his office by writing addressed to the Minister.
The quorum for a meeting of the Committee is half of the membership of the Committee plus 1, rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Repealed
Repealed
Repealed

Compare

1960 No 97 s 6
1967 No 108 s 2
1979 No 28 s 5(1)

Notes

Section 9(3): replaced, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(3A): inserted, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(4): replaced, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(6): replaced, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(7): repealed, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(8): repealed, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).
Section 9(9): repealed, on 19 November 2025, by section 15 of the Medicines Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 66).