Kia ora Christopher, 

Thank you for your request for official information received on 2 December
2022.  

  

Your request asks for information which is more closely connected with the
functions of Pharmac. For this reason, Manatū Hauora (the Ministry of
Health) has decided to transfer your request to Pharmac under section
14(b)(ii) of the Act. You can expect a response from Pharmac in due
course.  

   

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: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602. 

 

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.  

Ngā mihi 

OIA Services Team

Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health

M[2]inistry of Health information releases 
U[3]nite against COVID-19 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christopher James <[FOI #21318 email]>
Sent: Friday, 2 December 2022 19:43
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Availability of alternative
vaccines
 
Dear Ministry of Health,

Given that Valneva was allowed to have their Phase 3 trial for the VAL2001
whole inactivated virus  and adjuvanted vaccine, why has this not been
investigated as a suitable alternative to the mRNA vaccines?

There are at least 300 trialists who are able to be
questioned/tested/evaluated if there are any concerns as to whether or not
it is suitable for New Zealand recipients.  There have not been any, to my
knowledge, adverse reactions to the vaccine, nor any boosters required. It
also appears to be resistant against Omicron.

Also, given that it is now available in many other countries, why is it
not available here?

I, for one, would definitely take it and would have if the Valneva trial
had not been full.  I personally know of many unvaccinated who are not
antivax who would also like the option of taking it.  And I now think
there are many who have received the mRNA vaccine who would like a whole
inactivated virus vaccine as a booster.

So, my question is - why is this vaccine not being considered? 

Most of my comments can be checked via the Valneva website and others
directly from the participants of the trail.

Yours faithfully,

Christopher James

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21318 email]

Is [Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[4]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
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If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
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page.

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Tēnā koe Christopher

 

Thank you for your email of 2 December 2022, transferred from the Ministry
of Health to Pharmac on 7 December 2022. Your request has been received
and logged.

 

Our reference number for your request is 2022-23-077.

 

As required under the Official Information Act (OIA) 1982, we will respond
to your request within 20 working days. You should receive a response on
or before 25 January 2023. Please note, this due date accounts for the
‘Summer holidays’ (25 December to 15 January) as defined in the Act. Use
the [1]official information calculators to estimate the maximum response
time for an official information request.

 

If a large amount of information has been requested, we may need to extend
this date (this is provided for in section 15A of the Act). We will advise
you if such an extension is necessary.

 

Ngā mihi

 

 

Melody Willis ([2]she/her) | Government Services Advisor

___________________________________________________________________

Te Pātaka Whaioranga | Pharmac | PO Box 10 254 | Level 9, 40 Mercer
Street, Wellington

P: +64 4 460 4990 | [3]www.pharmac.govt.nz

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christopher James
<[4][FOI #21318 email]>
Sent: Friday, 2 December 2022 19:43
To: OIA Requests <[5][email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Availability of alternative
vaccines

 

Dear Ministry of Health,

Given that Valneva was allowed to have their Phase 3 trial for the VAL2001
whole inactivated virus  and adjuvanted vaccine, why has this not been
investigated as a suitable alternative to the mRNA vaccines?

There are at least 300 trialists who are able to be
questioned/tested/evaluated if there are any concerns as to whether or not
it is suitable for New Zealand recipients.  There have not been any, to my
knowledge, adverse reactions to the vaccine, nor any boosters required. It
also appears to be resistant against Omicron.

Also, given that it is now available in many other countries, why is it
not available here?

I, for one, would definitely take it and would have if the Valneva trial
had not been full.  I personally know of many unvaccinated who are not
antivax who would also like the option of taking it.  And I now think
there are many who have received the mRNA vaccine who would like a whole
inactivated virus vaccine as a booster.

So, my question is - why is this vaccine not being considered? 

Most of my comments can be checked via the Valneva website and others
directly from the participants of the trail.

Yours faithfully,

Christopher James

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #21318 email]

Is [7][Ministry of Health request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Ministry of Health? If so, please contact us using this form:
[8]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=15517&...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[FOI #21318 email]
7. mailto:[Ministry of Health request email]
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hide quoted sections

Kia ora,

 

Please see attached 😊

 

 

Arihia Gray [1](she/her) | Policy advisor

_________________________________________________________________________
Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | PO Box 10 254 | Level 9, 40 Mercer
Street, Wellington

 

 

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain
confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please do
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Kia ora please see attached 😊

 

Arihia Gray [1](she/her) | Policy advisor

_________________________________________________________________________
Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | PO Box 10 254 | Level 9, 40 Mercer
Street, Wellington

 

 

This e-mail message and any accompanying attachments may contain
confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, please 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.

References

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