133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
02 November 2021
Kiwi
By email: [FYI request #17021 email]
Ref:
H202113498
Tēnā koe Kiwi
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 (the Ministry) on 4 October 2021 we have consolidated both your requests and are
answering as one.
You specifically requested:
What is your definition of someone having 1 shot of vaccine and someone having 2
shots?
In relation to New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccination programme, using the Pfizer vaccine,
the Ministry considers vaccination status as the fol owing:
• Someone who is unvaccinated has not received any vaccination;
• Someone who has received one dose is partly vaccinated; and
• Someone who has received two doses is fully vaccinated.
Who negotiated on NZ behalf the contract with pfizer for the covid 19 vaccine?
What lobby company's/firm's NGO's or such lobby the NZ government on pfizer's behalf?
On 15 October, this part of your request was transferred to the Ministry of Business Innovation
and Employment (MBIE). You can expect a reply from MBIE in due course.
What tests if any did medsafe do on the vaccine?
Medsafe does not conduct its own testing on vaccines, including those for COVID-19. Medsafe
has assessed a large amount of data to support the quality, safety and efficacy of this vaccine
as part of the approval process. Medsafe works closely with international regulators and other
authorities that do conduct independent testing of COVID-19 vaccines as part of its approval
and post-approval monitoring processes.
Why did medsafe 1st decline to approve the vaccine the 1st time it was submitted to
medsafe?
Why was the prescription requirement ignored?
Medsafe has not declined to approve any COVID-19 vaccine to date. However, Medsafe is
unable to answer this part of your request as it is not clear what you are referring to in these
parts of your request.
Why is medsafe/Ministry of health hiding the benefits of ivermectin??
This part of your request appears to be a request for an opinion. While the Act enables people
to request official information from the Ministry, it only applies to information it holds. There is no
obligation to create information in order to respond to requests, nor is the Ministry obliged to
provide an opinion. This query appears to be an effort to engage in a debate about ivermectin,
rather than a legitimate request to the Ministry for official information. The Act does not support
requests in which a requester quotes information or asserts and opinion and then seeks some
form of comment on it, couched as a request for official information. These parts of your request
are therefore refused under section 18(g)(i) of the Act on the grounds that the information
requested does not exist.
Medsafe has published a safety alert to warn the public about improper use of
Ivermectin:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/safety/Alerts/ivermectin-covid19.htm
Who is responsible for managing the pfizer NZ govt contract for covid 19 vaccine?
The Ministry carries out this function.
1 We request the data on death's from the monitored vaccinated group in NZ.. No matter
the age or cause of deaths. Vaccine related or not..
We only need numbers and age group.. No names or private data. And only following 1
month of vaccine shot 1 and 2
As of October 21 2021, 3,604,171 first doses have been administered to those residing in New
Zealand aged 12 and over, it is not possible to provide data on every death in this group.
All information that can be released without breaching privacy is in the weekly AEFI report. This
report is publicly available here
: www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/vaccine-report-overview.asp.
2 How many vaccines has NZ govt administrated in the pacific Islands? Ie tonga, somoa,
cook island and all that we manager
We have interpreted this question as being related to the Pfizer vaccine rather than
AstraZeneca as the previous questions all pertained to Pfizer.
Country
Doses Sent
Cook Islands
22,950
Niue
2,550
Tokelau
2,250
What this doesn’t include:
• Donations to any country in the Pacific via COVAX
• Any upcoming donations for this week
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I trust this information fulfils your request. 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
Nick Allan
Manager, OIA Services
Office of the Director-General
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