Policies and Procedures Relating to Medication‑Induced Nutrient Depletion and Associated Physiological Effects
Nigel Gray made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand
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From: Nigel Gray
Dear Health New Zealand,
From: Nigel Gray
Date: 1 March 2026
I request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.
For the purposes of this request, “medications” refers to all prescription medicines regulated under the Medicines Act 1981.
I am seeking all documents, policies, guidelines, protocols, training materials, internal communications, and decision‑support resources held by your agency that relate to nutrient depletion and associated physiological effects caused by commonly prescribed medications. This includes, but is not limited to, depletion of B‑vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, CoQ10, zinc, potassium, and impacts on methylation pathways, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter systems, and liver detoxification capacity.
This request covers six areas:
1. Patient Information and Disclosure
All documents that instruct, require, or guide clinicians, pharmacists, or other health professionals to inform patients about nutrient‑depletion risks or associated physiological effects of medications.
2. Monitoring and Biochemical Screening
All documents that outline monitoring requirements, recommended testing intervals, or biochemical screening protocols for nutrient depletion or related physiological impacts of long‑term or high‑risk medication use.
3. Rehabilitation or Restoration Pathways
All documents describing any rehabilitation, nutrient‑restoration, or physiological recovery pathways for patients whose nutrient status, methylation capacity, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter balance, or liver detoxification capacity may be affected by long‑term medication use.
4. Informed Consent Processes
All documents that explain how informed consent is considered complete when nutrient‑depletion risks and associated physiological effects of medications are not disclosed to patients.
5. Harm‑Minimisation and Patient‑Safety Frameworks
All risk‑assessment frameworks, harm‑minimisation guidelines, or patient‑safety documents that address nutrient depletion or related physiological impacts of long‑term medication use.
6. Physiological System Impacts
All documents your agency holds that address the effects of medications on:
methylation pathways
mitochondrial function
neurotransmitter systems
liver detoxification processes (Phase I and Phase II)
This includes any monitoring requirements, rehabilitation pathways, or restoration protocols associated with these systems.
Scope and Format
For all six areas, I request:
all current documents
all historical documents still held
all drafts, internal memos, and emails discussing the existence, development, or absence of such policies
If no documents exist for any area, please confirm that no such documents are held.
If any part of this request relates to another agency’s responsibilities, please transfer that portion under section 14 of the Official Information Act.
I am happy to receive the information electronically.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Gray
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Gray
From: hnzOIA
Tçnâ koe,
Thank you for your email.
Under the Official Information Act (OIA), agencies are required to respond
to requests for official information as soon as reasonably practicable and
no later than 20 working days after receiving them.
If your request is for data that Health NZ holds, have you checked
[1]Lighthouse first to see if the data you are seeking is already
published?
Lighthouse is a searchable catalogue that makes a range of data and
analytics products available to New Zealanders to enable easier, faster
access to insights about health services.
You can find further information about how OIA timeframes are calculated,
including the Ombudsman’s OIA calculator, at the link below:
[2]Official information calculators | Ombudsman New Zealand
We will provide a response to your request in line with the statutory
timeframes set out in the OIA.
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.
Ngâ mihi,
Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
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received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
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From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Nigel,
Thank you for your request of 1 March 2026 asking for information relating
to nutrient‑depletion risks or associated physiological effects of
medications.
We are seeking to refine your request because as currently worded it may
be refused under substantial collation and research section 18(f) of the
Official Information Act 1982.
For context, there are many adverse effects of medicines including
nutrient depletion and how this is managed is not captured in one place
and procedure.
If you wish to continue with your request to Health NZ, to help us process
your request more effectively, we would like to invite you to refine your
request to one item relating to one type of medication from a specific
clinical entity. If this is acceptable to you, please specify which item
area and specific medication you would like information on.
It may be of interest to you to know that on the topic of medicines that
may have adverse effects causing nutrient depletion, MedSafe may be able
to help. You may want to contact them directly, [1]Official Information
Act Releases.
The Ombudsman’s website has many documents to help support you in a more
refined request so we can provide you with a response that will better
assist you: [2]Making official information requests: A guide for
requesters | Ombudsman New Zealand.
We would appreciate if you could let us know by the 5.00pm on 11 March
2026 if you are happy to refine your request as suggested (or otherwise).
Please note, under section 15 of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA),
any clarification or amendments made to a request within seven days after
the date it is received, that request may be treated as a new request and
the time limit for the response restarts.
ngā mihi
Government Services Tīma
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
show quoted sections
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe Nigel
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00201245
Thank you for your email on 1 March 2026, asking Health New Zealand | Te
Whatu Ora (Health NZ) for the following under the Official Information Act
1982 (the OIA):
I am seeking all documents, policies, guidelines, protocols, training
materials, internal communications, and decision‑support resources held by
your agency that relate to nutrient depletion and associated physiological
effects caused by commonly prescribed medications. This includes, but is
not limited to, depletion of B‑vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, CoQ10,
zinc, potassium, and impacts on methylation pathways, mitochondrial
function, neurotransmitter systems, and liver detoxification capacity.
This request covers six areas:
1. Patient Information and Disclosure
All documents that instruct, require, or guide clinicians, pharmacists, or
other health professionals to inform patients about nutrient‑depletion
risks or associated physiological effects of medications.
2. Monitoring and Biochemical Screening
All documents that outline monitoring requirements, recommended testing
intervals, or biochemical screening protocols for nutrient depletion or
related physiological impacts of long‑term or high‑risk medication use.
3. Rehabilitation or Restoration Pathways
All documents describing any rehabilitation, nutrient‑restoration, or
physiological recovery pathways for patients whose nutrient status,
methylation capacity, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter balance, or
liver detoxification capacity may be affected by long‑term medication
use.
4. Informed Consent Processes
All documents that explain how informed consent is considered complete
when nutrient‑depletion risks and associated physiological effects of
medications are not disclosed to patients.
5. Harm‑Minimisation and Patient‑Safety Frameworks
All risk‑assessment frameworks, harm‑minimisation guidelines, or
patient‑safety documents that address nutrient depletion or related
physiological impacts of long‑term medication use.
6. Physiological System Impacts
All documents your agency holds that address the effects of medications
on:
* methylation pathways
* mitochondrial function
* neurotransmitter systems
* liver detoxification processes (Phase I and Phase II)
This includes any monitoring requirements, rehabilitation pathways, or
restoration protocols associated with these systems.
On the 9 March 2026, we asked you to refine your request and, to date, we
have not received a response.
Response
There are many adverse effects of medicines including nutrient depletion
and how this is managed is not captured in one place and procedure.
Your request, as it stands, would require a substantial amount of research
and collation therefore is refused under section 18(f) of the OIA.
It may be of interest to you to know that on the topic of medicines that
may have adverse effects causing nutrient depletion, MedSafe may be able
to help. You may want to contact them directly, [1]Official Information
Act Releases.
The Ombudsman’s website has many documents to help support you in a more
refined request so we can provide you with a response that will
better assist you: [2]Making official information requests: A guide for
requesters | Ombudsman New Zealand.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us
at [3][email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [4]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager, Government Services
Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora
show quoted sections
From: Nigel Gray
Dear hnzOIA,
Kia ora,
Thank you for your response.
I note your statement that my request of 1 March 2026 required refinement.
For clarity, the 1 March request was the request, and your 9 March message did not meet the requirements of section 18B of the OIA. It did not identify which parts of the request were considered problematic, nor did it propose any options for narrowing or offer consultation, as required under the Act.
Your refusal under section 18(f) also appears inconsistent with your own statement that “how this is managed is not captured in one place and procedure.” If the information is not held in a unified form, this does not justify refusal under 18(f). It instead raises the question of whether the information exists at all, in which case section 18(e) would apply.
To progress this request, please confirm the following:
Which specific documents, if any, are held by Health NZ that fall within any of the six categories listed in my request.
For each category, whether Health NZ holds:
(a) no documents,
(b) some documents, or
(c) documents that require collation.
If no documents exist for a category, please confirm this under section 18(e).
This clarification is necessary to determine whether your refusal under 18(f) was appropriate, or whether the correct ground is 18(e).
I look forward to your response.
Ngā mihi,
Nigel
From: hnzOIA
Tçnâ koe,
Thank you for your email.
Under the Official Information Act (OIA), agencies are required to respond
to requests for official information as soon as reasonably practicable and
no later than 20 working days after receiving them.
If your request is for data that Health NZ holds, have you checked
[1]Lighthouse first to see if the data you are seeking is already
published?
Lighthouse is a searchable catalogue that makes a range of data and
analytics products available to New Zealanders to enable easier, faster
access to insights about health services.
You can find further information about how OIA timeframes are calculated,
including the Ombudsman’s OIA calculator, at the link below:
[2]Official information calculators | Ombudsman New Zealand
We will provide a response to your request in line with the statutory
timeframes set out in the OIA.
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.
Ngâ mihi,
Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
References
Visible links
1. https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-healt...
https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-healt...
2. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/agen...
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Nigel
Thank you for your request for official information, received on
14/03/2026 for:
I note your statement that my request of 1 March 2026 required refinement.
For clarity, the 1 March request was the request, and your 9 March message
did not meet the requirements of section 18B of the OIA. It did not
identify which parts of the request were considered problematic, nor did
it propose any options for narrowing or offer consultation, as required
under the Act.
Your refusal under section 18(f) also appears inconsistent with your own
statement that “how this is managed is not captured in one place and
procedure.” If the information is not held in a unified form, this does
not justify refusal under 18(f). It instead raises the question of whether
the information exists at all, in which case section 18(e) would apply.
To progress this request, please confirm the following:
Which specific documents, if any, are held by Health NZ that fall within
any of the six categories listed in my request.
For each category, whether Health NZ holds:
(a) no documents,
(b) some documents, or
(c) documents that require collation.
If no documents exist for a category, please confirm this under section
18(e).
This clarification is necessary to determine whether your refusal under
18(f) was appropriate, or whether the correct ground is 18(e).
As it is at the moment you request does not meet due particularity under
section 12(2) of the OIA.
Please clarify whether you are referring to the six prescribed medicines
from your initial request or the areas of focus eg Patient Information and
Disclosure, Monitoring and Biochemical Screening, Informed Consent
Processes.Then, to help us process your request more effectively, we would
like to invite you to refine your request to one type of medication from
a specific clinical entity. If this is acceptable to you, please specify
which item area and specific medication you would like information on.
The Ombudsman’s website has many documents to help support you in a more
refined request so we can provide you with a response that will better
assist you: [1]Making official information requests: A guide for
requesters | Ombudsman New Zealand.
We would appreciate if you could let us know by the 5.00pm on 23 March
2026 if you are happy to refine your request as suggested (or otherwise).
Please note, under section 15 of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA),
any clarification or amendments made to a request within seven days after
the date it is received, that request may be treated as a new request and
the time limit for the response restarts. We look forward to receiving
your response.
Ngā mihi
Anthea
Government Services
[2][email address]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/reso...
2. mailto:[email address]
From: Nigel Gray
Kia ora Anthea,
Thank you for your response.
Your message does not address the core clarification I requested, nor does it meet the requirements of section 18B of the OIA. To progress this request, I again ask that you confirm the following for each of the six categories listed in my original request:
Whether Health NZ holds no documents,
Whether Health NZ holds some documents, or
Whether Health NZ holds documents that require collation.
This is necessary to determine whether your refusal under section 18(f) was appropriate, or whether the correct ground is section 18(e). Your previous statement that “how this is managed is not captured in one place and procedure” suggests the latter, and I am seeking clarity on this point.
Your latest response introduces a new claim that my request does not meet “due particularity” under section 12(2). I do not accept this. The request is specific, enumerated, and limited to six clearly defined categories of documents. It does not require refinement to a single medication or clinical entity, and such narrowing would materially alter the scope and purpose of the request.
Section 18B requires an agency to identify which parts of a request are considered problematic, explain why, and offer meaningful options for refinement. Your response does not do this. Instead, it repeats a general invitation to narrow the request without identifying any specific difficulty or providing the information I have asked for.
To avoid further delay, please answer the clarification directly:
For each of the six categories in my request, does Health NZ hold:
(a) no documents,
(b) some documents, or
(c) documents that require collation?
Once this is confirmed, I will be able to determine whether refinement is necessary or whether the appropriate next step is escalation.
Ngā mihi,
Nigel Gray
Yours sincerely,
Nigel Gray
From: Nigel Gray
Kia ora Anthea,
Thank you for your response.
Your message does not address the core clarification I requested, nor does it meet the requirements of section 18B of the OIA. To progress this request, I again ask that you confirm the following for each of the six categories listed in my original request:
Whether Health NZ holds no documents,
Whether Health NZ holds some documents, or
Whether Health NZ holds documents that require collation.
This is necessary to determine whether your refusal under section 18(f) was appropriate, or whether the correct ground is section 18(e). Your previous statement that “how this is managed is not captured in one place and procedure” suggests the latter, and I am seeking clarity on this point.
Your latest response introduces a new claim that my request does not meet “due particularity” under section 12(2). I do not accept this. The request is specific, enumerated, and limited to six clearly defined categories of documents. It does not require refinement to a single medication or clinical entity, and such narrowing would materially alter the scope and purpose of the request.
Section 18B requires an agency to identify which parts of a request are considered problematic, explain why, and offer meaningful options for refinement. Your response does not do this. Instead, it repeats a general invitation to narrow the request without identifying any specific difficulty or providing the information I have asked for.
To avoid further delay, please answer the clarification directly:
For each of the six categories in my request, does Health NZ hold:
(a) no documents,
(b) some documents, or
(c) documents that require collation?
Once this is confirmed, I will be able to determine whether refinement is necessary or whether the appropriate next step is escalation.
Ngā mihi,
Nigel Gray
Yours sincerely,
Nigel Gray
From: hnzOIA
Kia Ora, Nigel
Thank you for your email.
As outlined in our correspondence of 8 March 2026, Health New Zealand
sought to assist you to refine your request, as the request as originally
framed was likely to be refused under section 18(f) of the OIA due to the
substantial collation and research that would be required to respond.
For context, we explained that information relating to adverse effects of
medicines, including nutrient depletion, is not held in a single location
or governed by one procedure. We invited you to refine your request to one
item relating to one specific medication from a particular clinical
entity, in order to enable us to process the request more effectively.
As we did not receive a refinement within the timeframe provided, and the
request remained broad in scope, Health New Zealand’s decision to refuse
the request under section 18(f) stands.
We have asked that you consider refining your request for example, by
specifying a particular medication, timeframe, or clinical area. If we do
not hear from you by 5.00pm on Monday 23 March 2026 we will proceed to
make a decision on your request as it is currently worded.
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Anthea
Government Services
[2][email address]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
------------------- Original Message
show quoted sections
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attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
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disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
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