133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
W www.medsafe.govt.nz
10 March 2021
Greg Keen
By email:
[FYI request #14713 email]
Ref:
H202101531
Dear Greg Keen
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health (the Ministry) on 18 February 2021 regarding the COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty):
Responses to your questions are set out below.
“1) Can you please provide details of robust assessments which were carried out on any
COVID-19 vaccines prior to their approval in New Zealand (specifically by Medsafe) to
ensure that there are no serious long-term effects on New Zealanders who are injected with
any COVID-19 vaccine. For the purposes of clarity I will define 'long-term effects' as any
adverse reaction to any COVID-19 vaccine which either persists beyond 6 months following
the date of initial vaccination or first presents itself at least 6 months after the date of initial
vaccination. To be clear, I am not requesting any information relating to any side effects
which present themselves in the weeks following initial vaccination.”
To date, Medsafe has completed the assessment for the Comirnaty vaccine and although there
were participants who had been in the study for longer than 6 months, the assessment was
based on a median of 2 months follow-up after the 2nd dose. This part of your request is therefore
refused under section 18(g) of the Act, as the information is not held by the Ministry.
“2) In the event that the long-term adverse effects of any approved COVID-19 vaccines are
unknown or have not yet been assessed, what assurance can the Ministry of Health give
New Zealanders that their regulatory business unit known as Medsafe is fit for purpose in
its role of enhancing the health of New Zealanders by regulating medicines and medical
devices to maximise safety and benefit, when there would appear to be a significant risk
being taken with the long-term health of New Zealanders at stake?”
For all medicines, there will be use by patients in real world settings that exceeds that of the
clinical trials. For this reason, Medsafe contracts the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring
(CARM) at the University of Otago to run the spontaneous reporting system whereby anyone can
report their suspicions of an adverse reaction to a medicine (including vaccines). The Ministry has
full confidence in Medsafe to administer the requirements of the Medicines Act 1981 and the
Medicines Regulations 1984.
I trust this information fulfils your request. Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask
the Ombudsman to review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests. Yours sincerely
Chris James
Group Manager
Medsafe
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