18 July 2024
Catherine Jamieson
[FYI request #27386 email]
Tēnā koe Catherine
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00054193
Thank you for your email on 26 June 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Please advise by batch lot for the Pfizer Covid purple and grey cap monovalent vaccines
which batches vials were labelled Comirnaty and which were labelled Pfizer BioNTech.
Response
Pfizer packaged vaccines using a number of different artworks, and it was possible for the
following names to appear on labels, inserts and other associated packaging components: Product
name: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine
COMIRNATY. This was outlined in a letter to healthcare professionals which is available at this
link:
https://medsafe.govt.nz/safety/DHCPLetters/ComirnatyFeb2021.pdf
Vaccines were delivered by Pfizer from manufacturing plants to Healthcare Logistics (HCL) and
DHL for distribution to vaccination sites directly. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and Health NZ
did not sight the packaging for each batch of vaccine vials. For clarity, 78 batches have been
received in 143 deliveries, and in order to determine which label was used on each batch of vials
we would need to collect images of each batch from HCL and DHL as we do not hold these
ourselves, and manually compare them against batch numbers.
In order to provide the information, you requested, Health NZ would need to divert personnel from
their core duties and allocate extra time to complete this task. The diversion of these resources
would impair Health New Zealand’s ability to carry out our other core functions. As such, your
request is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as it requires substantial collation.
I have considered whether fixing a charge for the supply of the information or extending the
timeframe for response would enable Health NZ to respond. I do not consider that either option
would remove the impact that supplying the information would have on our other operations.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[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
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIA) Government Services
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
