Petition to the Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall (Minister of Health)

I am one of thousands of New Zealanders who have been the recipient of a bariatric procedure which restricts the ability to absorb the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements compared to the general public who have not undergone surgery.

Or I have a significant person who I care about that has undergone bariatric surgery.

As a result of a complaint targeted against three of the major NZ suppliers of bariatric strength multivitamins and supplements, a technical breach of the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 (SR 1985/208) has occurred and the offending products have subsequently been withdrawn from sale.

The NZ Bariatric community has been left with few and much more expensive, complicated options to obtain the level of multivitamin supplementation necessary and we the undersigned demand that the government take urgent action to avoid a public health catastrophe where bariatric surgery patients are compromised. 

We suggest an immediate amendment to the Dietary Supplement Regulations 1985 to read as such (or words of similar effect) 

Part 1, General Requirements 

3 Maximum daily doses

(3)  Bariatric Strength Supplements described as or containing any vitamin or mineral and labelled as such - shall be so manufactured or imported from approved overseas suppliers that the daily dose (for an adult) does not contain more than the maximum specified in the current guidelines to the ASMBS (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery) or IFSO (The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders) as per the acceptance of qualified surgeons performing life changing Bariatric or other Metabolic Surgery in New Zealand.

This would align New Zealand with the rest of the world and abide by the governments responsibility to care for some of our most vulnerable and health at risk cohorts in New Zealand.

Please sign this petition to request the  Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall (Minister of Health) to proactively work with surgeons, dietitians, bariatric specialists and health experts in this field to protect our nations health and wellbeing.

Thank you.