Complementary Medicines
Complementary Medicines Transition Database
(COMET) Database discontinued
COMET is a web-based transitional database used to collect information about complementary medicines on the New Zealand market prior to commencement of the trans-Tasman therapeutic products regulatory scheme. The information collected would have been used to issue interim product licences when the scheme commenced.
In light of the government’s decision to place the joint agency project on hold, this information is no longer being collected, and the COMET database is now no longer functional.
Impending changes to the Dietary Supplements Regulations will require sponsors to register their dietary supplement products on a database of dietary supplements. This database is being constructed and it is anticipated that it will become operational by April 2009.
Dietary Supplement information held in COMET will be transferred to the new database. The COMET database itself will be discontinued once the data has been successfully transferred.
Until the new database of dietary supplements becomes available, sponsors are not required to enter their product details into a register. A notice will be sent to the industry when the database becomes operational, and will also be placed on the Medsafe and New Zealand Food Safety Authority websites.