133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
7 March 2025
Catherine Jamieson
By email:
[FYI request #29831 email]
Ref:
H2025060090
Tēnā koe Catherine
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) received by the
Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) as a transfer from the Ministry of Business,
Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on 21 January for information regarding Advance Purchase
Agreements (APA) for COVID-19 vaccines. You requested:
Please specify for each company New Zealand has Advance Purchase Agreements to
purchase Covid-19 vaccines:
1.
The date the initial APA was signed and for how many doses of each vaccine; and
2.
The date any further APAs were signed or the initial APA was amended and for how
many doses.
This information has been released under a previous OIA response and published on the
Ministry’s website here:
www.health.govt.nz/information-releases/covid-19-ministers-and-
vaccine-agreements. Please refer to Appendix 1 which outlines when agreements were signed
and the number of doses.
Further information regarding amendments to the Pfizer manufacturing and supply agreement is
published here:
www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2022-08/h202117899_response_redacted.pdf.
The agreement for the purchase and supply of Astrazeneca and Janssen vaccines was
concluded in 2022, but remains in place for Novavax and Pfizer
https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-
and-resources/official-information-act/official-information-act-responses/covid-19-vaccine-
contracts.
3.
For each of i) and ii) above please specify whether the APA/amendment was
structured as an option or an obligation to buy that number of doses. Please also
make clear in relation to Pfizer BioNTech products the vaccine type (eg adult
monovalent purple cap, Adult monovalent grey cap, paediatric, infant, Bivalent, XBB)”
The details of the agreements are withheld in full under the following sections of the Act:
• Section 9(2)(b)(ii), where 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; and
• Section (9)(2)(c), to avoid prejudice to measures to protect the health or safety of the
public.
In making this decision, I have considered the countervailing public interest to release and
consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
You may be interested in a summary statement with information on the COVID-19 vaccine
procurement process and the nature of the commitments made by the Government across all
the contracts. The summary statement can be found here:
www.health.govt.nz/about-
ministry/information-releases/general-information-releases/summary-statement-new-zealand-
covid-19-vaccine-procurement-process-and-contracts-suppliers. 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
Jane Chambers
Group Manager, Public Health Policy and Regulation Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
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