133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
W www.medsafe.govt.nz
6 October 2021
Simon Brown
By email:
[FYI request #16608 email]
Ref:
H202111774
Dear Simon
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 3 September
2021 for information regarding Pfizer clinical trials.
You specifically requested:
“any and all minutes taken of meetings held by Medsafe pertaining to efficacy and clinical
safety issues surrounding the Pfizer clinical trials of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine.
I am specifically interested in Medsafe's independent analysis and appraisal of the above
mentioned trials.
I would also like copies of any and all correspondence between Medsafe and the COVID
Vaccine Technical Advisory Group pertaining to any and all safety concerns regarding
BNT162b2. These concerns include but are not necessarily restricted to the clinical trial
design; the exclusion of subjects from both the placebo and treated groups in the analysis
of published data (N Engl J Med. 2020; 383: 2603-2615; FDA website); the use of disease-
specific endpoints instead of "all cause mortality and morbidity"; and what advice was
given.”
The Ministry of Health (the Ministry) has identified three documents in scope of your request.
These are outlined in Appendix 1 of this letter, with copies enclosed. Where information is
withheld, this is noted in the Appendix and in the document itself.
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
Appendix 1: List of documents for release
#
Date
Document details
Decision on release
1
January 2021
New Medicine Application Evaluation
Released with some
Report – Clinical
information withheld under
the following sections of the
Act:
• section 9(2)(b)(ii)
where its release
would likely
unreasonably
prejudice the
commercial position
of the person who
supplied the
information; and
• section 9(2)(g)(ii) to
protect Ministers,
members of
organisations,
officers, and
employees from
improper pressure or
harassment.
2
20 January 2021
Science and Technical Advisory Team – Released with some
Request for Information
information withheld under
section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the Act.
3
3 February 2021
Medicines Assessment Advisory
Released with some
Committee minutes and
information withheld under
recommendations - 109th meeting on 2
the following sections of the
February 2021
Act:
• section 9(2)(a) to
protect the privacy of
natural persons; and
• section 9(2)(g)(ii).
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