Tēnā koe,

Thank you for your official information request received on 1 May.
Your request below will be considered and a decision provided in accordance with the requirements of the Official Information Act 1982.
If you have any questions regarding this request, please email [email address] .
Ngā mihi,

Official Information Act Team
Government Services | Public Affairs
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street | PO Box 2526
Wellington | New Zealand
Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua
Telephone: 0800 00 83 33 | Email: [email address] | Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: L Oliver <[FOI #22643 email]>
Sent: Monday, 1 May 2023 7:28 pm
To: Official Information Act <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Why is Optimel Gel no longer able to be imported into New Zealand

Hi Ministry for Primary Industries,

I am a New Zealand citizen living in New Zealand.

As context, I have chronic dry eyes. One of the few products that helps this condition is Optimel Gel. It is a gel largely comprised of sterile medical grade honey. It is an imported product that has been available on the New Zealand market for a number of years. I have recently been advised it is no longer available as your Ministry has apparently decided it has too high a percentage of honey.

Given that it is one of the few products on the market that seems to help my eyes, that there are no local alternatives or close substitutes, and that I am now apparently consigned to using an increasing amount of much less effective eye care products, this is distressing.

As such, I would like you to provide any and all information regarding any decision that your Ministry has made that directly relates to the import of Optimel Gel into New Zealand. In particular, I would like to know why it was previously acceptable for it to be in the country but now it is not.

Yours faithfully,

L. Oliver

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #22643 email]

Is [MPI request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry for Primary Industries? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the office.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

hide quoted sections

Tēnā koe L. Oliver,

 

 

On behalf of Peter Thomson, Director, Animal and Plant Health, please see
the attached response regarding your Official Information Act request.

 

 

 

Ngā mihi

Official Information Act Team
Government Services | Public Affairs
Ministry for Primary Industries | Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen
Street | PO Box 2526 | Wellington | New Zealand  

Telephone: 0800 00 83 33 | Email: [1][email address] |
Web: [2]www.mpi.govt.nz

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the
addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be
legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it
contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call
the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase
the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the
office.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.mpi.govt.nz/

hide quoted sections