Contraceptive standards

Overview

Condoms and other contraceptive devices supplied in New Zealand are required to meet a gazetted standard. Section 6 of the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977 grants the Minister of Health the power to approve Standards for condoms or other contraceptive devices by notice in the New Zealand Gazette.

Updates to these standards were last notified in gazette notices dated 29 March 2014. Since that time four of the five ISO standards gazetted at that time have been updated, one of the NZ Standards that was gazetted has been removed and the second NZ Standard is proposed for removal by Standards New Zealand.

Alignment of the NZ standard requirements with those accepted by other major international regulators ensures that contraceptive devices sold in New Zealand meet the current internationally accepted requirements, and removes any New Zealand specific requirements that would hinder supply of devices into the market.

Standards can be purchased from Standards New Zealand.

You are requested to complete the following consultation questionnaire to inform the change process and how it might affect you as a consumer or treatment provider, or as a supplier of these contraceptive devices.

The closing date for this consultation has been extended to 14 May 2020.