133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
14 October 2025
Catherine Jamieson
By email: [FYI request #32216 email]
Ref:
H2025073677
Tēnā koe Catherine
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 4 October 2025 for information regarding the use of
Section 32A of the Medicines Act 1981. You requested:
Is the September 2021 approval by Director-General of Health for the 775,000 doses of
Pfizer’s COVID-19 Comirnaty vaccine under section 32A of the Medicines Act 1981 the
only section 32A approval for Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines by the Director-General of
Health?
If there are other approvals please specify when approval(s) occurred and how many
doses the approval(s) covered.
The Ministry conducted a thorough search of our records when responding to your previous
request (H2025072200 refers). As noted in the Ministry's prior response, the only instance of
the use of section 32A of the Medicines Act 1981, approved by the Director-General of Health,
for Pfizer’s COVID-19 Comirnaty vaccine related to 775,000 doses in September 2021. The
Ministry could not identify any other instances where section 32A was used in relation to your
request(s).
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
Ministry website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Phil Knipe
Chief Legal Advisor
Corporate Services | Te Pou Tiaki
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