Influenza Vaccine Efficacy
Phillip Hart made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
The request was partially successful.
From: Phillip Hart
Dear Ministry of Health,
A recent radio advertisement promoting the 'flu jab' claims that it not only protects the recipient, but also his whanau, kaumatua and tamariki from influenza.
Could you please summarise the clinical evidence that proves the 'flu jab' provides protection against transmission?
Yours faithfully,
Phillip Hart
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora
Thank you for your request for official information. The reference number
for your request is: H2023024810
As required under the Official Information Act 1982, Manatū Hauora will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 20 working days after
the day your request was received. If you'd like to calculate the
timeframe, you can use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
M[2]inistry of Health information releases
U[3]nite against COVID-19
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References
Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
3. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Philip
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982
received by Manatû Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 4 May 2023. You
requested:
“Could you please summarise the clinical evidence that proves the 'flu
jab' provides protection against transmission?”
Information on efficacy and effectiveness of the Influenza vaccine,
including a summary of international data is in the Immunisation Handbook
2020 which is published on the Manatû Hauora website here:
[1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immunisation-handbook-2020/11-influenza.
Further information on the safety and effectiveness of the Influenza
vaccine, is publicly available on the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC)
website here: [2]www.immune.org.nz/vaccine/influenza-vaccine.
Please note, Manatû Hauora does not conduct scientific studies or
research.
You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision to extend the time available to respond to your
request.
Ngâ mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatû Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[3]inistry of Health information releases
U[4]nite against COVID-19
show quoted sections
References
Visible links
1. http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immun...
2. http://www.immune.org.nz/vaccine/influen...
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
4. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: Phillip Hart
Dear OIA Requests,
Thank you for the response. Neither of the two information resources provided has information on the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in preventing or limiting transmission.
Therefore could you please provide the information as per my original request?
Regards
Yours sincerely,
Phillip Hart
From: OIA Requests
Tçnâ koe Philip
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) to Manatû Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 15 May 2023 as a follow
up to the information provided to you under reference H2023024810. You
requested:
“Neither of the two information resources provided has information on the
effectiveness of the flu vaccine in preventing or limiting
transmission. Therefore could you please provide the information as per my
original request?”
Your original request is copied below:
“Could you please summarise the clinical evidence that proves the 'flu
jab' provides protection against transmission?”
Manatû Hauora has consulted with Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand)
regarding your request, as generally information requests
regarding vaccinations fall within the responsibilities of their National
Immunisation team. However, given you are specifically interested in
clinical evidence, Te Whatu Ora holds no information within scope of your
request. Manatû Hauora and Te Whatu Ora do not conduct scientific studies
or research. Therefore, your request is refused under section 18(g)(i) of
the Act as the information is not held by Manatû Hauora and there are no
grounds for believing it is held by any other agency subject to the Act.
Please refer to the publicly available information regarding the efficacy
and effectiveness of Influenza vaccines at the following links:
* [1]www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immunisation-handbook-2020/11-influenza
* [2]www.immune.org.nz/vaccine/influenza-vaccine
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.
Ngâ mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatû Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[3]inistry of Health information releases
U[4]nite against COVID-19
show quoted sections
References
Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immu...
2. https://www.immune.org.nz/vaccine/influe...
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
4. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: Phillip Hart
Dear OIA Requests,
Thank you for the updated response. It appears that my initial request was not correctly understood.
I am requesting the specific clinical evidence that supports the claim of elimination / suppression of transmission made in the recent radio advertising for the flu jab.
Yours sincerely,
Phillip Hart
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora,
Please find attached a letter relating to your official information act
request.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[1]inistry of Health information releases
U[2]nite against COVID-19
show quoted sections
References
Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for contacting Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ. This is an automatic
reply to confirm that we have received your email. Depending on the
nature of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working
days. We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
s information that is identified to be of general public interest, the
response may also be published on our website. If we e response to your
OIA request, all personal information, including your name and contact
details will be removed.
Ngā mihi
Te Whatu Ora, Health NZ.
show quoted sections
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe Phillip
Thank you for your request for information asking for the following which
has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). As
you know, this was transferred from Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health and
formally received by Te Whatu Ora on 6 June 2023,
“I am requesting the specific clinical evidence that supports the claim of
elimination / suppression of transmission made in the recent radio
advertising for the flu jab”
The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision, to 2 August 2023.
This extension is necessary because consultations necessary to make a
decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit.
Please contact us at [1][email address] if you have any questions.
If you are not happy with this extension, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Ministerials Team
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
------- ORIGINAL OIA REQUEST TO MOH
show quoted sections
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Phillip,
Thank you for your request for information. Please find attached our
response to your request.
If you have any questions, please get in touch at
[1][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 [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Peteli
Te Whatu Ora Ministerial Team
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References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. file:///tmp/foiextract20230711-40-15r76u3#
Athina Andonatou left an annotation ()
My favourite part is that it is assumes that it creates herd immunity! lol
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- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
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Mark Shelly left an annotation ()
Abstract of the article referenced on the response states:
"The evidence is too limited to conclude in what setting(s) a herd effect may or may not be achieved."
Full Abstract Below:
Influenza vaccination programmes are assumed to have a herd effect and protect contacts of vaccinated persons from influenza virus infection. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Global Health and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception to March 2014 for studies assessing the protective effect of influenza vaccination vs no vaccination on influenza virus infections in contacts. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model. Of 43,082 screened articles, nine randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and four observational studies were eligible. Among the RCTs, no statistically significant herd effect on the occurrence of influenza in contacts could be found (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.34-1.12). The one RCT conducted in a community setting, however, showed a significant effect (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.26-0.57), as did the observational studies (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.43-0.77). We found only a few studies that quantified the herd effect of vaccination, all studies except one were conducted in children, and the overall evidence was graded as low. The evidence is too limited to conclude in what setting(s) a herd effect may or may not be achieved.
Link to this