There are two basic types of new organism approvals:
approval to hold the new organisms in an approved indoor or outdoor containment facility (such as laboratories, glasshouses, zoos or field test sites)
approval to release the new organism into the environment
An organism that has approval to be held in containment is still classed as a new organism and cannot be used beyond the scope of the approval. This includes approvals for field tests. If you want to release a new organism that currently has containment approval, you need additional approval from us.
Approval to release a new organism can be given with or without controls. An approval has controls if there are potential risks that need managing, eg. requiring an organism to be sourced from a specific location.
Any organism approved for release with controls is still classed as a new organism and can only be used in the manner specified in the approval.
Any organism that is approved for release without controls is no longer classed as a new organism and does not need any further approvals from us.
A vaccine that contains or is a live new organism also needs approval from us to be used in New Zealand. These approvals usually have controls and the new organism can only be used for the purpose specified in the application, ie. as a vaccine. Occasionally, a vaccine containing a live new organism may be approved without controls. In this case, the organism is no longer classed as a new organism and is no longer regulated under the HSNO Act (but the vaccine may still be regulated under other legislation, eg. the Medicines Act).
What organisms are held under deemed approvals?
These are organisms that were legally held (ie, were subject to regulation) in New Zealand before 29 July 1998 and were subsequently "deemed approved" under the HSNO Act. For example exotic animals held under the Zoological Gardens Regulations 1977 were deemed approved (as new organisms) to be held in zoos in New Zealand.