133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
10 February 2022
Athina Andonatou
By email: [FYI request #18323 email]
Ref:
H202200576
Tēnā koe Athina
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 January 2022 regarding Tamiflu. Please find a response to each part
of your request below.
1) How much did the purchase of 1.4 million doses of oseltamivir aka Tamiflu cost?
This information has been withheld under section 9(2)(j) of the Act to enable a Minister or any
public service agency to carry on negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage. I have
considered the countervailing public interest in release in making this decision and consider that
it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
2) How many doses were actually used of the 1.4 million doses purchased by New
Zealand?
During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic approximately 55,000 courses of national reserve Tamiflu
were used.
3) How many adverse effects were reported following its use?
The adverse effects are publicly available by search via oseltamivir on Medsafe’s website here:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/Projects/B1/ADRSearch.asp. The Ministry has maintained a national reserve of influenza antivirals since 2005. More
information on the national reserve supply antiviral stock is available on the Ministry of Health
website
: www.health.govt.nz/our-work/emergency-management/national-reserve-supplies. 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
Nāku noa, nā
Deborah Woodley
Deputy Director-General
Population Health and Prevention
