133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
W www.medsafe.govt.nz
10 December 2024
John Luke
By email:
[FYI request #29225 email]
Ref:
H2024056143
Tēnā koe John Luke
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 – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 16 November 2024 for information regarding
nominations for the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC). You requested:
“I noted, you have recently call for nomination for your Medicines Adverse Reactions
Committee. May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you have
call for public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website. Also, how many applications you have
received from the public and how many you have received from other nominating agencies
such as TPK or Ministry of women etc for your role. How many you have shortlisted and
how many you have interviewed in this recruitment round. May I also seek a copy of the ad
went out to public and the appointment letter sent to the appointee, feel free to redact any
personal information.”
The MARC has a specific composition which includes one member of the public. This is detailed
on the Medsafe website and found publicly available here:
www.medsafe.govt.nz/commit ees/marc.asp
The vacancy advertised was for an epidemiologist/biostatistician, not a member of the public.
Recruitment does not proceed through a process of public nominations. The process was as
follows:
• The vacancy was advertised with the attached advertisement on the Medsafe website.
• The advertisement was sent to the Best Practice Advocacy Centre, Medical Council of
New Zealand, Ministry for Ethnic Communities – Te Tari Mātāwaka, Ministry for Pacific
People – Te Manatū mō ngā Iwi ō te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa, Ministry for Women – Manatū
Wāhine, Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha, Ministry of Māori Development – Te
Puni Kōkiri, New Zealand Formulary, Pasifika Medical Association, Te Ohu Rata O
Aotearoa (Te ORA) - Māori Medical Practitioners Association and Te Tāhū Hauora Health
Quality & Safety Commission, Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health Chief
Advisors, the Health New Zealand Interim Chief Medical Officer and Medicines Adverse
Reactions Commit ee members.
• Three applications were received from experts with relevant expertise.
• Al three applications were presented to the Director-General of Health to decide on a
preferred candidate subject to checks.
• The appointment has not been made yet, so there is no appointment letter.
• The membership of the MARC is published at the above link, which wil be updated once
an appointment has been made.
I have identified two documents within scope of your request. Al documents are itemised in
Appendix 1 and copies of the documents are enclosed. Where information is withheld under
section 9 of the Act, I have considered the countervailing public interest in release in making this
decision and consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with
us, including this decision, please feel free to contact the OIA Services Team
on:
[email address].
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
Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-
official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Chris James
Group Manager
Medsafe
Appendix 1: List of documents for release
#
Date
Document details
Decision on release
1
October 2024
Web Advertisement
Released in full.
2
3 December 2024 Appointment letter
Some information withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the
Act, to protect the privacy of
natural persons.
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