Has the Ministry of Health sought legal opinion in regard to publishing information on the use endocrine disrupting chemicals for children seeking to prevent purbertal development?
Sunil Williams made this Official Information request to Ministry of Health
Ministry of Health did not have the information requested.
From: Sunil Williams
Dear Ministry of Health,
The Ministry received this advice from Medsafe's manager of compliance Derek Fitzgerald.
“If the ministry advocated that certain medicines be used off-label, this could come in for criticism as a potential breach of the [Medicines Act 1981]...
... You may wish to obtain a legal opinion on the information the ministry publishes/wishes to publish on this.”
Until recently, the Ministry published advice to the public on its website in regard to the safety and reversibility of chemical puberty blockade for treating childhood gender distress.
This is an off-label use of certain medicines.
I am asking if the Ministry did seek legal advice in regard to its advocacy for this off-label use.
I am also asking for any documents pertaining to this advice. Including documentation of requests made to, and responses from legal advisory.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Sunil Williams
From: OIA Requests
Kia ora
Thank you for your request for official information received on 16 May
2023 for:
The Ministry received this advice from Medsafe's manager of compliance
Derek Fitzgerald.
“If the ministry advocated that certain medicines be used off-label, this
could come in for criticism as a potential breach of the [Medicines Act
1981]...
... You may wish to obtain a legal opinion on the information the ministry
publishes/wishes to publish on this.”
Until recently, the Ministry published advice to the public on its website
in regard to the safety and reversibility of chemical puberty blockade for
treating childhood gender distress.
This is an off-label use of certain medicines.
I am asking if the Ministry did seek legal advice in regard to its
advocacy for this off-label use.
I am also asking for any documents pertaining to this advice. Including
documentation of requests made to, and responses from legal advisory.
The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H2023025372.
As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than [1]20 working days
after the day your request was received.
If we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we
will notify you of an extension of that time frame.
If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.
Ngâ mihi
OIA Services Team
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Sunil
Please find attached a letter regarding your request for information
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health
M[1]inistry of Health information releases
U[2]nite against COVID-19
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References
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2. https://covid19.govt.nz/
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