Call for sunbed regulation

Currently there are no regulations governing sunbed use in New Zealand, unlike in Australia, the United Kingdom and many parts of Europe and other OECD countries. 

New Zealand has a voluntary standard for sunbed operators that includes ensuring all sunbeds are supervised and not allowing people under the age of 18 or with the fairest skin types to use them. Surveys by Consumer NZ have found that many operators do not comply with these standards.

MelNet's position on sunbeds

MelNet's position is that the existing voluntary standard for sunbeds must become mandatory, especially to protect young people from the harm of sunbed use.  This requires regulation.

A call for regulation was initiated in March 2011 by:

Cancer Society of New Zealand
Cancer Society Social and Behavioural Unit, University of Otago
Consumer NZ
Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand
New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated
MelNet

This call was unanimously endorsed by the 200 health professionals who participated in the national Melanoma Summit on 11 March 2011, and MelNet agreed to coordinate the efforts of all who seek such regulation.

Support for MelNet's position

It is now supported by other leading organisations, including the
• New Zealand Nurses Organisation
• New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine
• Nurse Education in the Tertiary Sector (NETS)
• New Zealand Association of Plastic Surgeons
• The Paediatric Society of New Zealand
• General Practice NZ
• The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
• New Zealand College of Appearance Medicine
• Bulls Medical Centre
• Women’s Health Action Trust

 20 February 2012