133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
17 April 2024
Chris Johnston
By email:
[FYI request #24923 email]
Ref:
H2024037872
Tēnā koe Chris
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 – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 18 March 2024 as a follow up to information provided
to you under previous responses (H2024034795 and H2024036288 refers). You requested:
This OIA is asking you to establish whether Health NZ holds this document in your
Records, and/or whether the officials in relevant roles have reviewed it. It is a very simple
process to ask by email and to assess (eg via voting buttons or emailed replies) whether
anyone has indeed downloaded, reviewed it or stored it.
I repeat thee question below:
“8. Can the MoH Public Health team specifically answer whether this draft report - NTP
Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and
Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects: A Systematic Review has been:
- 1 - Downloaded and viewed by anyone in the team
- 2 - Critiqued by anyone in the team or sent out for review as part of due diligence and a
duty of care
- 3 - Filed in the MoH or Health NZ archives as a Record under the Public Records Act
- 4 - Confirm that at least (1) and (3) has been done in answering this OIA, and the
location / meta data of its storage (eg SharePoint library and tags).
I refer to the information provided to you under previous responses. The Ministry has nothing
further to add. Please note also that repeated requests for the same information may be
considered vexatious and refused under section 18(h) of the Act.
Question: Can Health NZ please confirm that it is aware that the study referred to is a
"meta analysis" and has been the result of input from a team of relevant and qualified
people? That is, it is a serious careful academic review of a substantial amount of the
literature/science?
The answer that has been provided seems to indicate a danger that Health NZ has not
grasped the breadth of the analysis that this paper represents. It is not just "a single study
or opinion" as your OIA response characterises it.”
The Ministry of Health can confirm it is aware that the National Toxicology Programme
Monograph on the State of the Science Concerning Fluoride Exposure and
Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects is a systematic review and not an individual
study or opinion.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel
free to contact the OIA Services Team on
: [email address].
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Tagaloa Dr Junior Ulu
Acting Deputy Director-General
Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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