133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
25 May 2023
Simon Brown
By email: [FYI request #22852 email]
Ref: H2023025616
Tēnā koe Simon
Transfer of 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 19 May 2023. You requested:
“Can the Ministry of Health inform whether there is any medical procedure performed in
NZ where blood products from COVID-19 unvaccinated individuals is preferentially sort or
preferred. Is the Ministry of Health aware of any instances of COVID-19 unvaccinated
blood products being preferentially used in medical procedures performed overseas. My
interest is restricted to nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD). My interest is nothing to do with the safety or efficacy of
vaccination with eg Cominarty (Pfizer) but with an improved outcome for any medical
procedure when using blood from unvaccinated individuals, whether the individual donor
has a confirmed history of natural infection or not”
The requested information is held by Whakaorangia Tāngata – the New Zealand Blood Service.
For this reason, I have decided to transfer your request to their agency under section 14(b)(i) of
the Act. You can expect a response from the New Zealand Blood Service 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:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, na
Jan Torres
Manager, OIA Services
Government and Executive Services | Te Pou Whakatere Kāwanatanga
COPY OF OIA REQUEST
From: Simon Brown <[FYI request #22852 email]>
Sent: Friday, 19 May 2023 10:46
To: OIA Requests <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Preferential use of COVID-19 unvaccinated blood
products
Dear Ministry of Health,
Can the Ministry of Health inform whether there is any medical procedure performed in NZ
where blood products from COVID-19 unvaccinated individuals is preferentially sort or
preferred.
Is the Ministry of Health aware of any instances of COVID-19 unvaccinated blood products
being preferentially used in medical procedures performed overseas. My interest is restricted to
nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
My interest is nothing to do with the safety or efficacy of vaccination with eg Cominarty (Pfizer)
but with an improved outcome for any medical procedure when using blood from unvaccinated
individuals, whether the individual donor has a confirmed history of natural infection or not.
Yours faithfully,
Simon B Brown (PhD)
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