Document One
From:
Margie Apa
To:
Barry Young; Diana Sarfati; Robyn Shearer; Celia Wellington; Dean Rutherford; Sarah Turner; John
Whaanga; Andrew Old; Simon Medcalf; Maree Roberts; Martin Chadwick; Joe Bourne; Leigh Donoghue;
Michael Dreyer
Subject:
RE: DATA and DIGITAL Update
Date:
Thursday, 30 November 2023 10:27:00 am
Attachments:
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Thank you for sharing your observations Barry. It is important that we understand what you are
observing and check against the existing systems we have for monitoring safety and adverse
events in immunisation.
I ask your leaders Leigh and/or Michael to follow up with you directly and have an expert review
your data and, if there are concerns as you say, lets work out what we do about it. Leigh and/or
Michael can work with the National Public Health Service to review this information.
Thanks so much for reaching out. Warmest regards, Margie.
Out of Scope
Out of Scope
Regards
Michael Dreyer
Out of Scope
2
Out of Scope
3
Document three
From:
Margie Apa
To:
Catherine Delore; Andrew Slater; Peter Alsop; Nick Chamberlain
Cc:
Emily Richards (MOH); Fiona McCarthy
Subject:
RE: DISCLOSURE incident - approach for a proactive release
Date:
Friday, 1 December 2023 7:00:20 am
Attachments:
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Looks good thanks.
From: Catherine Delore <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 1 December 2023 6:12 am
To: Margie Apa <[email address]>; Andrew Slater <[email address]>;
Peter Alsop <[email address]>; Nick Chamberlain
<[email address]>
Cc: Emily Richards <[email address]>; Fiona McCarthy
<[email address]>
Subject: DISCLOSURE incident - approach for a proactive release
Hi – please see below for the suggested approach to a proactive release on this – it is a different
tone than the stronger reactive approach that we’d need to take. The messaging for that, which
went to the Minister’s office last night, is further below.
Proactive
We remind people that vaccines remain safe and effective and that they should keep up to date
with their shots to protect themselves, whanau and their communities.
We are aware that one of our staff, with no clinical background or expert vaccine knowledge, is
trying to spread misinformation.
What he is claiming is completely wrong and ill-informed and his comments demonstrate this.
Sadly, we have continued to see conspiracy theorists disseminating false and harmful
misinformation.
We assure people there is no evidence whatsoever that vaccination is responsible for excess
mortality in New Zealand and that they can continue to have confidence in vaccines.
Publicly available data shows that four deaths in New Zealand are possibly linked to adverse
reactions following COVID-19 vaccination. This is in the context of 3,361 people whose deaths
have to date been directly attributed to COVID-19 in New Zealand, with more than 12.6 million
vaccines administered to eligible New Zealanders as of 2 October 2023.
By chance, and separate to a prior COVID-19 vaccination event, some people will experience new
illnesses or die from a pre-existing condition shortly after vaccination, especially if they are
elderly. The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) and Medsafe have investigated
these deaths.
In addition to this, the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board (CV-ISMB) has
compared natural death rates to observed death rates following vaccination.
In the monitoring period for the Pfizer/ BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (19 February 2021 to 30
September 2022), the observed number of deaths was less than the expected number of natural
deaths.
It is extremely disappointing to see a staff member trying to misuse our data to spread
misinformation. He is no longer at work and an employment investigation is underway.
Reactive
Primary messaging:
We’re extremely disappointed at the behaviour of this staff member – what he is claiming
is completely wrong and ill-informed.
He has no medical background or expert knowledge, and his comments demonstrate this.
An employment investigation process is underway.
There are many conspiracy theorists out there unfortunately who disseminate harmful
disinformation.
The public can and should continue to have confidence in vaccines.
There is no evidence whatsoever that vaccination is responsible for excess mortality in
New Zealand.
Secondary messaging:
We take the security of the information we hold extremely seriously and this is a
significant breach of trust.
As soon as we became aware of what he was up to we took immediate steps to
investigate and respond.
We blocked his access to our systems and began assessing what information may have
been accessed.
At this stage we haven’t seen evidence to suggest personal data has been downloaded
and we are continuing to examine the databases, devices (including computers and
phones) and the emails of the staff member.
We are seeking a court injunction over the improper and unauthorised public disclosure
and use of the information.
Publicly available data shows that four deaths in New Zealand are possibly linked to
adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination.
This is in the context of 3,361 people whose deaths have to date been directly attributed
to COVID-19 in New Zealand, with more than 12.6 million vaccines administered to eligible
New Zealanders as of 2 October 2023.
By chance and separate to a prior COVID-19 vaccination event, some people will
experience new illnesses or die from a pre-existing condition shortly after vaccination,
especially if they are elderly.
The Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM) and Medsafe have investigated
these deaths.
In addition to this, the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board (CV-ISMB)
has compared natural death rates to observed death rates following vaccination.
In the monitoring period for the Pfizer/ BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (19 February 2021 to
30 September 2022), the observed number of deaths was less than the expected number
of natural deaths.
Catherine Delore
Head of Communications & Engagement
waea pūkoro: S9(2)(a)
|
īmēra [email address]
69 Tory Street, Wellington
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Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
S9(2)(g)(i), S9(2)(h), S6(c), S6(d)
S9(2)(g)(i), S6(c), S6(d)
S9(2)(g)(i), S6(c), S6(d)
Document 6 withheld in full under 9(2)(g)(i) and 6(c)
S9(2)(g)(i), S6(c)
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
