8 November 2021
Micky Turner
Via email: [FYI request #17158 email]
Dear Micky
Request for information: Information about the decision to fund molnupiravir for
COVID-19
Thank you for your request dated 12 October 2021 under the Official Information Act 1982
(OIA) for information relating to molnupiravir. You requested:
In regards to Molnupiravir…:
1. All written communication between Pharmac and Merck
2. All trial and study information Pharmac used to inform your decision to fund the drug
3.
All written communication with any people who have extensively studied the active
ingredient in EIDD-2801 and believe it could be mutagenic
All written communication between Pharmac and Merck
We need more time to consult about the release of the communications requested. As
required under the OIA, we are giving notice that we need to extend the time limit for
responding to this portion of your request. We have extended the time limit for your request
by a further 20 working days, to
8 December 2021.
We have extended the time limit for your request as consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be
made within the original time limit (section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA).
All trial and study information Pharmac used to inform your decision to fund the drug
We have not yet decided to fund
molnupiravir. We have entered into an advanced purchase
agreement with the supplier of molnupiravir however, our agreement is subject to
molnupiravir being approved by Medsafe for use in New Zealand. This means molnupiravir
will not be made available for treating mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms until it has
gained regulatory approval from Medsafe.
As outlined above, we need more time to consult about the release of the trial and study
information used to inform our decision to enter into an advanced purchase agreement with
the supplier of molnupiravir.
All written communication with any people who have extensively studied the active
ingredient in EIDD-2801 and believe it could be mutagenic
We have not had any communications with any people who have extensively studied the
active ingredient in EIDD-2801 and believe it could be mutagenic. Therefore, we have
refused this portion of your request on the basis that the information requested is not held by
2021-22-050; A1537071
Pharmac (section 18(g) of the OIA) and we have no reason to believe the information is held
by, or more closely connected with the functions of, another agency.
Please note you have the right, by way of complaint under section 28(3) of the OIA to an
Ombudsman, to seek an investigation and review of our decision.
We are making our information more freely available, so we now publish selected OIA
responses (excluding personal details) on our website. Please get in touch with us if you
have any questions about this.
Yours sincerely
Rachel Read
Manager, Policy and Government Services
2021-22-050; A1537071
qA60390
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