133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
W www.medsafe.govt.nz
19 January 2023
R Bailey
By email: [FYI request #21483 email]
Ref:
H2022018937
Dear R Bailey
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 22 December 2022 for:
“Please send a list of all documents provided by Pfizer
- as part of the official COVID vaccine approval process
- post approval safety monitoring
Ideally the document title (or filename) and date received.”
The information you have requested is withheld in full under the following sections of the Act:
•
Section 9(2)(b)(ii) as its release would likely unreasonably prejudice the commercial
position of the person who supplied the information.
•
Section 9(2)(ba)(ii) to protect information that is subject to an obligation of confidence and
making it available would likely damage the public interest.
Although Manatū Hauora appreciates the high degree of public interest in its vaccination
programme and the Pfizer vaccine, this does not outweigh the need to protect the commercial
sensitivity of the information.
There is a large amount of information publicly available about the vaccine, including on the
Medsafe website here:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/medicine-approval-process.asp
Manatū Hauora regularly publishes responses to OIA requests. Previous OIA responses about
the COVID-19 vaccine are publicly available at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/responses-official-information-act-requests?year=2023.
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
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests. Yours sincerely
Chris James
Group Manager
Medsafe
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