133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
26 October 2021
Paul Jones
By email: [FYI request #16546 email]
Ref:
H202111267
Tēnā koe Paul
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 28 August 2021 for information and about the COVID Immunisation
Register (CIR). I will respond to each part of your request in turn.
1) Confirm that the CIR databases is separate to the CARM database?
Yes, the CIR database is separate to the CARM database. The CIR is a database held and
managed by the Ministry. The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) is a part of the
University of Otago that undertakes pharmacovigilance under contract to the Ministry.
2) Are there any other databases being used to record adverse reactions to the Covid
vaccine? If so then please provide a list of them.
CIR and COVID-CARM are used to store adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines - including
from our Post Vaccine Symptom Check (PVSC) survey. These are Salesforce platforms. No
other databases are in use by the Ministry to record post COVID-19 vaccination adverse
reactions.
3) For the CIR database please provide a list of all "reactions" recorded and a total count
for each reaction.
The information you have requested can be found in Appendix 1 to this letter. Please note that
anyone in New Zealand can report an adverse reaction to vaccination. Reporting is not limited
to healthcare professionals. Reports listed in this document may describe:
• real adverse drug reactions to the vaccine
• anxiety events or nervousness about needles or the process of vaccination
• coincidental events that would have occurred regardless of vaccination.
More information about the recording and reporting of adverse reactions can be found on the
following pages of the Medsafe website:
•
www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/monitoring-process.asp
•
www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/June2019/The-fantastic-four-of-adverse-
drug-reaction-reporting.htm.
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. Nāku noa, nā
Jo Gibbs
National Director
COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunisation Programme
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