133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
W www.medsafe.govt.nz
5 May 2025
John Luke
By email: [FYI request #30666 email]
Ref:
H2025065116
Tēnā koe John
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 9 April 2025 for:
“I noted, you have recently call for nomination for the Medicines Adverse Reactions
Committee
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgazette.govt.nz%2Fn
otice%2Fid%2F2025-
go1913&data=05%7C02%7Coiagr%40health.govt.nz%7C8aa6804946dc4a0b6ee808dd76
ec5587%7C23cec7246d204bd19fe9dc4447edd1fa%7C0%7C0%7C638797479626920743
%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCI
sIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C40000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=
0pReykV44QXaBChaXhVh%2BsViNLwWKSoA40muR7Qt2xs%3D&reserved=0
May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you have cal for
public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website. A copy of your ad as wel . Also, how many
applications you have received from the public and how many you have received from other
nominating agencies such as TPK or Ministry of women etc for your role. How many you
have shortlisted and how many you have interviewed. Also, can I request to view the
appointment letter if there is one sent to the appointee. I am happy for you to remove all the
personal information.”
The vacancy advertised was for a pharmacist (community based), not a member of the public.
The process was as follows:
• The vacancy was advertised with the attached advertisement on the Medsafe website
(Please see Document 1 attached).
• The advertisement was sent to the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand – Te Pou
Whakamana Kaimatū o Aotearoa, Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand, Māori
Pharmacist group, Pacific Pharmacist group, Clinical Advisory Pharmacists Association,
Best Practice Advocacy Centre, New Zealand Formulary, Midcentral community
pharmacy group, Canterbury Community pharmacy group, Ministry for Ethnic
Communities – Te Tari Mātāwaka, Ministry for Pacific People – Te Manatū mō ngā Iwi ō
te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa, Ministry for Women – Manatū Wāhine, Ministry of Disabled People
– Whaikaha, Ministry of Māori Development – Te Puni Kōkiri, and Te Tāhū Hauora Health
Quality & Safety Commission. You were notified of this vacancy, and you indicated that
you had no nominations. Ministry of Health Chief Advisors and Medicines Adverse
Reactions Committee members were also notified.
Eight applications were received from pharmacists with relevant expertise. All applications were
presented to the Director-General of Health who chose the preferred candidate, subject to
checks. The appointment letter is attached as Document 2. Where information is withheld under
section 9 of the Act, I have considered the public interest in release in making this decision and
consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
I trust this information fulfils your request. 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 cal ing 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests. Nāku noa, nā
Chris James
Group Manager
Medsafe
Page 2 of 3
Appendix 1: List of documents for release
# Date
Document details
Decision on release
1
7 November 2024
Vacancies on the Medicines
Released in full.
Adverse Reactions Committee
(MARC)
2
27 March 2025
Appointment letter
Some information withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the
Act, to protect the privacy of
natural persons.
Page 3 of 3
Document Outline
