NZ First health policy is ‘a great place to start’, doctor says

Stuff has described NZ First’s health policy as largely a “copy and paste” of proposals from Make New Zealand Healthy, but Dr Glen Davies, who runs metabolic health clinic Reversal NZ and is also involved with Make New Zealand Healthy, says such complaints miss how advocacy and policymaking really work.

Stuff highlighted overlaps with the group’s ideas and the backgrounds of people linked to it. Davies told RCR there was no secret about the connection and that the concept was offered to all political parties, with only NZ First adopted it.

“Wouldn’t it be a good thing that [the party] consulted experts in the field before coming up with a transformative policy?” he asked.

The more useful question is whether the ideas stack up.

NZ First’s 15-point plan shifts the focus towards prevention and metabolic health. It includes dietary guidelines, nutrition education, metabolic screening, health coaches, easier access to vitamin D testing and research into intravenous vitamin C and off-patent treatments. Davies said because the health system too often waited until people were sick, more hospitals, more hospital doctors, would be dealing with the “consequence of poor metabolic health”. Instead, he argued healthcare intervention should occur further “upstream”.

Davies’ rural practice already applies parts of these preventative measures. About one-third of its type 2 diabetes patients (about 40 people) have reversed their condition, while losing weight and changing eating habits. He advocated for earlier insulin-resistance screening and easier vitamin D testing, while also defending research into intravenous vitamin C and off-patent medicines, including for cancer.

“Let’s do the science, and let’s not be biased and prejudiced towards something that’s expensive and new. This isn’t a finished document either, but this is a great place to start,” Davies said, referring to NZ First’s health policy.

Listen or watch RCR’s interviews with Dr Glen Davies and Jodie Bruning and read more at Alia Bee on X.

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