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Medicines Act 1981

Dealings with medicines and medical devices - Miscellaneous provisions

47: Storage and delivery of medicines

You could also call this:

"Keeping Medicines Safe and Secure"

Illustration for Medicines Act 1981

You must store medicines safely. You cannot put prescription or restricted medicines in the same place as food or drink. You also cannot put them where young children or people who are not allowed can easily get them. You must keep medicines away from food and drink. You cannot prepare medicines in a room or on a table where food or drink is prepared or eaten. This is to keep you and others safe. When you have medicines for a business, you must make sure the building or vehicle where they are kept is secure. You must take reasonable steps to prevent people from getting in without permission. You can only deliver medicines to someone by handing it to them or sending it through the post. You must give it to the person it is meant for, or someone who is acting on their behalf. If you do not follow these rules without a good reason, you can get in trouble.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM55470.

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Health and wellbeing > Public healthHealth and wellbeing > Healthcare servicesBusiness > Industry rules
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"Storing medicines safely and following the rules"

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Part 2Dealings with medicines and medical devices
Miscellaneous provisions

47Storage and delivery of medicines

  1. No person who is in possession or charge of any prescription medicine or restricted medicine shall put it—

  2. in any cupboard, box, shelf, or other place of storage in which articles of food or drink are stored or kept for ready use; or
    1. in any place to which young children or unauthorised persons have ready access.

      1. No person shall pack any medicine, or prepare it for use, in any room, or on any table or bench, that is used for the purpose of packing, preparing, or consuming any food or drink.

      2. Except as otherwise provided in any regulations made under this Act, no person who is in possession, for the purposes of any business, of a prescription medicine or a restricted medicine that is kept for the time being within any building or vehicle shall leave that building or vehicle unattended, unless he has taken all reasonable steps to secure that building or vehicle, or the part of it in which the medicine is kept, against unlawful entry.

      3. No person shall deliver on retail sale, or in circumstances corresponding to retail sale, any medicine otherwise than through the post or by handing it or causing it to be handed to the person, or another person reasonably believed to be acting on that person's behalf, to whom it is addressed or for whose use it is intended.

      4. Every person commits an offence against this Act who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes any of the provisions of this section.

      Compare
      • 1960 No 97 s 25
      • 1969 No 44 s 6