Considerations and decision-making concerning non-vaccine prevention, mitigation and treatment of COVID19
Robin Benson made this Official Information request to Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: Robin Benson
Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,
Official Information Act 1982 (Act)
SARS-CoV-2/COVID19 (COVID19)
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
This is an official request for information pursuant to the Act.
Further to a previous OIA request ref. DOIA 2021-1458 I wish to obtain all relevant documentation including discussions between MBIE and/or other ministries and/or any other public-sector entities, such as the MoH/COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group, relating to decision-making around non-vaccination approaches to COVID19, especially in relation to the justification rationale of the broad decision to focus solely on vaccines.
1. Please provide any and all discussions, considerations, decision-making process including inputs relating to the decision to not fully investigate and monitor non-vaccine prevention, mitigation and treatments in respect of COVID19.
2. If there are is no information pursuant to the above, why is this the case? Please provide a comprehensive response including logical and evidence supporting any such decisions to not undertake assessments as applicable. The rest of the world continues to investigate such non-vaccine responses and have done continually throughout 2020 and to date.
I am aware of the "COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund" funded projects but do not consider these to be adequate explorations and monitoring of the nature described above. For example, the Douglas Pharmaceuticals project looked at an extremely narrow question of whether or not hydroxychloroquine reduces risks to frontline workers. This is not an example of a methodological approach to ensuring all mitigations/treatments are investigated and assessed on an ongoing basis.
3. If the MBIE is not the correct governmental agency to provide responses to the above, please outline which agency/agencies would be responsible as a matter of urgency.
I hereby confirm that I meet the requirements of the Act in making this request.
Should you require any evidence concerning meeting requirements pursuant to section 12 of the Act please respond without delay outlining:
(a) the forms of evidence you deem acceptable and an email address to which such information can be sent, and
(b) the genuine and reasonable grounds for requiring such evidence.
Yours faithfully,
Robin Benson
From: Ministerial Services
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Ref: 2021-1761
Dear Robin,
On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 10^th March 2021 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
“Further to a previous OIA request ref. DOIA 2021-1458 I wish to obtain
all relevant documentation including discussions between MBIE and/or other
ministries and/or any other public-sector entities, such as the
MoH/COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group, relating to decision-making around
non-vaccination approaches to COVID19, especially in relation to the
justification rationale of the broad decision to focus solely on vaccines.
1. Please provide any and all discussions, considerations, decision-making
process including inputs relating to the decision to not fully investigate
and monitor non-vaccine prevention, mitigation and treatments in respect
of COVID19.
2. If there are is no information pursuant to the above, why is this the
case? Please provide a comprehensive response including logical and
evidence supporting any such decisions to not undertake assessments as
applicable. The rest of the world continues to investigate such
non-vaccine responses and have done continually throughout 2020 and to
date. I am aware of the "COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund" funded
projects but do not consider these to be adequate explorations and
monitoring of the nature described above.
For example, the Douglas Pharmaceuticals project looked at an extremely
narrow question of whether or not hydroxychloroquine reduces risks to
frontline workers. This is not an example of a methodological approach to
ensuring all mitigations/treatments are investigated and assessed on an
ongoing basis.
3. If the MBIE is not the correct governmental agency to provide responses
to the above, please outline which agency/agencies would be responsible as
a matter of urgency.
I hereby confirm that I meet the requirements of the Act in making this
request. Should you require any evidence concerning meeting requirements
pursuant to section 12 of the Act please respond without delay outlining:
(a) the forms of evidence you deem acceptable and an email address to
which such information can be sent, and
(b) the genuine and reasonable grounds for requiring such evidence.”
Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.
If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [1][MBIE request email].
Nâku noa, nâ
MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Corporate, Governance and Information
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services
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responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
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References
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1. mailto:[MBIE request email]
2. http://www.govt.nz/
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From: Robin Benson
Dear Ministerial Services,
Thank you for the swift acknowledgment.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
From: Ministerial Services
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Ref: 2021-1761
Dear Robin,
On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 10^th March 2021 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:
“Further to a previous OIA request ref. DOIA 2021-1458 I wish to obtain
all relevant documentation including discussions between MBIE and/or other
ministries and/or any other public-sector entities, such as the
MoH/COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group, relating to decision-making around
non-vaccination approaches to COVID19, especially in relation to the
justification rationale of the broad decision to focus solely on vaccines.
1. Please provide any and all discussions, considerations, decision-making
process including inputs relating to the decision to not fully investigate
and monitor non-vaccine prevention, mitigation and treatments in respect
of COVID19.
2. If there are is no information pursuant to the above, why is this the
case? Please provide a comprehensive response including logical and
evidence supporting any such decisions to not undertake assessments as
applicable. The rest of the world continues to investigate such
non-vaccine responses and have done continually throughout 2020 and to
date. I am aware of the "COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund" funded
projects but do not consider these to be adequate explorations and
monitoring of the nature described above.
For example, the Douglas Pharmaceuticals project looked at an extremely
narrow question of whether or not hydroxychloroquine reduces risks to
frontline workers. This is not an example of a methodological approach to
ensuring all mitigations/treatments are investigated and assessed on an
ongoing basis.
3. If the MBIE is not the correct governmental agency to provide responses
to the above, please outline which agency/agencies would be responsible as
a matter of urgency.
I hereby confirm that I meet the requirements of the Act in making this
request. Should you require any evidence concerning meeting requirements
pursuant to section 12 of the Act please respond without delay outlining:
(a) the forms of evidence you deem acceptable and an email address to
which such information can be sent, and
(b) the genuine and reasonable grounds for requiring such evidence.”
Your request is being processed in accordance with the Act and a response
will be sent to you in due course.
If you have any enquiries regarding your request, or its urgency, feel
free to contact us via email at [1][MBIE request email].
Nâku noa, nâ
MINISTERIAL SERVICES
Corporate, Governance and Information
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140
NZBN 9429000106078
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.
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References
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1. mailto:[MBIE request email]
2. http://www.govt.nz/
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From: RSI-thehive
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Good afternoon Robin,
Please see attached for a letter notifying you that MBIE has transferred
your OIA request to the Ministry of Health.
Apologies for the delay in transferring this OIA, we have been in contact
with MOH to investigate who in that Ministry is best placed to respond to
your request.
Kind regards,
Lisa
Lisa Seng (she/her)
Ministerial Project Co-ordinator
[1]Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
Description: Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CD1D45.D6A244C0
MINISTRY OF BUSINESS INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT / HIKINA WHAKATUTUKI
[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.
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References
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2. http://www.govt.nz/
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From: Robin Benson
Dear Lisa and Simon,
Given the response to DOIA 2021-1458 was made by MBIE please briefly outline the grounds for this transfer in accordance with Section 14 of the Official Information Act (1982).
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora
Thank you for your request for official information received 23 March 2021
for:
" I wish to obtain all relevant documentation including discussions
between MBIE and/or other ministries and/or any other public-sector
entities, such as the MoH/COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group, relating to
decision-making around non-vaccination approaches to COVID19, especially
in relation to the justification rationale of the broad decision to focus
solely on vaccines.
1. Please provide any and all discussions, considerations, decision-making
process including inputs relating to the decision to not fully investigate
and monitor non-vaccine prevention, mitigation and treatments in respect
of COVID19.
2. If there are is no information pursuant to the above, why is this the
case? Please provide a comprehensive response including logical and
evidence supporting any such decisions to not undertake assessments as
applicable. The rest of the world continues to investigate such
non-vaccine responses and have done continually throughout 2020 and to
date."
The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H202103367.
As required under the Official Information Act 1982 we will endeavour to
respond to your request no later than 22 April 2021, being 20 working days
after the day your request was received.
If we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we
will notify you of an extension of that time frame.
If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [email address]
****************************************************************************
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If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
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From: RSI-thehive
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Hi Robin,
MBIE has transferred your request under s14(b)(ii) of the OIA as we
believe the request is more closely connected with the functions of the
Ministry of Health (MOH).
This is because we believe policy leadership for non-vaccination
approaches to COVID-19 sits with MOH. The Science and Technical Advisory
team in MOH’s COVID-19 Health System Response Directorate is constantly
looking for and reviewing the evidence regarding effective therapies for
COVID-19, whereas MBIE’s role in leading the COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy was
confined to assessing and purchasing safe and effective vaccines.
For more information, see MOH’s response to an OIA about treating COVID-19
with ivermectin:
[1]https://fyi.org.nz/request/14723/respons...
(may need Google Chrome).
We responded to your first request (DOIA 2021-1458) as you had sent it to
us after MOH declined it under OIA s18(g) information not held. While we
believe that request was also more closely connected with the functions of
MOH, we held some information in scope. Given MOH’s earlier decline we
responded to the request to ensure that you would be able to access at
least some information about the issue.
Kind regards,
Lisa
Lisa Seng (she/her)
Ministerial Project Co-ordinator
MINISTRY OF BUSINESS INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT / HIKINA WHAKATUTUKI
-----Original Message-----
From: Robin Benson <[FYI request #14897 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 23 March 2021 6:05 PM
To: RSI-thehive <[email address]>
Subject: Re: DOIA 2021-1761 - Transfer to MOH [UNCLASSIFIED]
Dear Lisa and Simon,
Given the response to DOIA 2021-1458 was made by MBIE please briefly
outline the grounds for this transfer in accordance with Section 14 of the
Official Information Act (1982).
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
-----Original Message-----
Good afternoon Robin,
Please see attached for a letter notifying you that MBIE has transferred
your OIA request to the Ministry of Health.
Apologies for the delay in transferring this OIA, we have been in contact
with MOH to investigate who in that Ministry is best placed to respond to
your request.
Kind regards,
Lisa
Lisa Seng (she/her)
Ministerial Project Co-ordinator
[1]Description: Description: Description: Description: Description:
Description: Description: [2]cid:image001.jpg@01CD1D45.D6A244C0
MINISTRY OF BUSINESS INNOVATION & EMPLOYMENT / HIKINA WHAKATUTUKI
[2][3]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand
government services
References
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2. [4]http://www.govt.nz/
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[5][FYI request #14897 email]
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Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of the
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. This message and any
files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person
responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you
have received this message in error and that any use is strictly
prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any
attachment from your computer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://fyi.org.nz/request/14723/respons...
2. file:///tmp/cid:image001.jpg@01CD1D45.D6A244C0
3. http://www.govt.nz/
4. http://www.govt.nz/
5. mailto:[FYI request #14897 email]
6. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
7. http://www.govt.nz/
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From: Robin Benson
Dear Lisa,
Thank you. Your proactive assistance is appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora
Please find attached a letter regarding your request for information.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [1][email address]
****************************************************************************
Statement of confidentiality: This e-mail message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use, disseminate,
distribute or copy this message or attachments.
If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender
immediately and delete this message.
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From: Robin Benson
Dear OIA Requests,
MBIE have transferred this request to the MoH.
You are stating that the MoH does not hold this information.
If neither the MBIE or MoH are responsible for the health of people in New Zealand, who is?
In other words, who holds this information?
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
From: Robin Benson
Dear OIA Requests,
Please note the following response from MBIE which contradicts your reply:
> This is because we believe policy leadership for non-vaccination
> approaches to COVID-19 sits with MOH. The Science and Technical Advisory
> team in MOH’s COVID-19 Health System Response Directorate is constantly
> looking for and reviewing the evidence regarding effective therapies for
> COVID-19, whereas MBIE’s role in leading the COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy was
> confined to assessing and purchasing safe and effective vaccines.
You are referred to the original request. Kindly:
(i) provide the information without delay, or
(ii) indicate where this information is held.
Yours sincerely,
Robin Benson
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