133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
27 January 2023
Jimmy Clarke
By email: [FYI request #21430 email]
Ref:
H2022018675
Tēnā koe Jimmy
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū
Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 14 December 2022 for information regarding COVID-19
vaccine efficacy. You requested:
Please provide a list of all of the "Benefits" associated with the vaccine that outweigh
the risks of potential death from the vaccine to include information associated with
various age groups, at risk groups, ability of jab to stop transmission, alternative
treatments, long term data for medicines with emergency use and anything that would
be considered a benefit that outweighs the risk of sudden death
The indication for use (benefit) of a medicine is listed in the vaccine data sheet. Information
concerning efficacy can be found from page 10 onwards at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/c/comirnaty0.3mlGreyCapinj.pdf.
An overview of benefit versus risk assessment is publicly available at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/consumers/safety-of-medicines/medsafe-evaluation-process.asp.
Extensive information concerning the Pfizer vaccine can also be found in this previous OIA
response at:
www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/information-release/h202106950-
_response.pdf
Can you also provide a list of all of the countries that the Ministry of Health is aware of
who have stopped vaccination in various groups, eg young, healthy and the
justification associated
The Ministry does not compile this information. Therefore, this part of your request is refused
under section 18(g)(i) of the Act as the information requested is not held by Manatū Hauora
and there are no grounds for believing it is held by another agency subject to the Act.
Please also provide a list of all of the approved vaccines / medicines that have
knowingly kil ed one or more people since 2010. If you can provide the following
Name of Medicine
Manufacturer
Number of Deaths
Dates of Deaths
Removed from Use - Yes or No
Reporting Associated with the Removal of Deaths
Amount of money given annually to Medsafe by the drug manufacturer since 2010
Medsafe collects information about adverse reactions to medicines through the Centre for
Adverse Reaction Monitoring (CARM). You can find more information about CARM on their
website:
https://nzphvc.otago.ac.nz/carm/.
You can also find information about Suspected Medicine Adverse Reactions at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/Projects/B1/ADRSearch.asp
If a safety concern with a medicine is raised, Medsafe may issue a safety communication or
a product recall. You can find more information about Medsafe’s medicine safety and quality
activities at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/safety/safety-landing.asp.
An archive of safety communications can be found on the Medsafe website:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/safety/AlertsArchive.asp.
Information about fees paid to Medsafe can be found at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/regulatory/fees.asp
Please also provide a list of all Medicines that currently have or have had an
"emergency" use authorisation since 2000.
Name of Medicine
Date of Emergency Use
Length of Approval
If there are not medicines approved for emergency use since 2000 can you provide a
list of all of the Medicines that have been given emergency use in New Zealand.”
The status of all medicines in New Zealand can be viewed by using the product application
search on Medsafe’s website at:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/regulatory/DbSearch.asp. To search
for medicines that have been granted provisional consent under section 23(1) of the
Medicines Act 1981, select “Provisional Consent (Section 23)” as the type.
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.
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Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/responses-of icial-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Derek Fitzgerald
Acting Group Manager
Medsafe
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