Industry Regulation

Under New Zealand law, breast thermography is classified as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modality.

For more information about the regulation of CAM modalities in New Zealand, please visit the Ministry of Health’s CAM website here.

While no specific CAM regulation exists for breast thermography, the following regulatory provisions all have an impact on CAM practitioners:

Fair Trading Act 1996
Medical Practitioners Act 1995
Medicines Act 1981
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
Code of Health and Disability Consumers’ Rights

Self Regulation

In the absence of any CAM regulation relating specifically to breast thermography and in the interest of the New Zealand public, the NZBTA has chosen to self regulate the industry in New Zealand and works to a set of best practice guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health.

In July 2004, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Complementary and Alternative Health (MACCAH) presented advice to the Minister of Health in the form of a document entitled “Complementary and Alternative Health Care in New Zealand”.

A full copy of this document is available here.