MANATU
HAUORA
MINISTRY or HfALTH
133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
21 February 2023
Remigius Rensen
By emai I: fyi-req uest-21863-729011 e9@req uests. fyi. org. nz
Ref:
H2023020578
Tena koe Remigius
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manato Hauora
(the Ministry of Health) on 16 February 2023. You requested:
"In line with the NZ govt. transparency policy of turning over every grain of salt to keep us
informed and keeping in mind politicians represent the people, it would be of interest for
the public to understand what the NZ govt. and Pfizer agreed to on paper"
Manato Hauora is unable to provide you with a copy of the Pfizer contract due to commercial
sensitivity. Therefore, your request is withheld under the following sections of the Act:
• Section 9(2)(b )(ii) as its release would likely unreasonably prejudice the commercial
position of the person who supplied the information.
• Section 9(2)(ba){ii) to protect information that is subject to an obligation of confidence
and making it available would likely damage the public interest.
I have considered the countervailing public interest in releasing information and consider that it
does not outweigh the need to withhold releasing the Pfizer contract at this time.
Although Manat0 Hauora appreciates the high degree of public interest in the vaccination
programme and the Pfizer vaccine, this does not outweigh the need to protect the commercial
sensitivity of the information in the agreement. We note Pharmac was transferred the
responsibility to purchase and manage the COVID-19 vaccine supply from 1 July 2022.
There is a large amount of information publicly available about the vaccine, including on the
Medsafe website here: www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/medicine-approval-process.asp.