Erika Whittome
By email: [FYI request #30276 email]
3 April 2025
Dear Erika,
Official information request for information related to the Global Vaccine Data
Network.
I refer to your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (
OIA),
submitted to Waipapa Taumata Rau | the University of Auckland on 3 March 2025 and
subsequently transferred to Auckland UniServices Limited on 11 March 2025.
“I see that Uniservices which is part of Auckland Uni received USD10,000 from USAID with a
Start Date Apr 16, 2021 End Date Apr 15, 2026”.
Your request included the grant description available here:
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/ASST_NON_NU38CK000485_7523
Was this grant related to foreign aid for hunger, food or shelter?
Was are the outcomes of this USD10,000 (whether peer reivew published or not)?
The funding that you are referring to is not funding from the United States Agency for
International Development (
USAID), and the grant is not related to hunger, food or shelter.
The total value of funding originally pledged under the grant and over the course of the
programme, was USD $10,108,491.
The programme of work commenced in April 2021 and was expected to continue until April
2026. Some changes to this programme are currently in progress. The programme of work
involved the following studies:
Develop background rates for adverse events of special interest for each partner site
and display these on a publicly available dashboard
Conduct observed over expected assessments for selected adverse events of special
interest
Conduct association studies for events that have been identified as likely associated
with COVID-19 vaccines
o Myocarditis and pericarditis and mRNA vaccines
o Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome/vaccine-induced immune
thrombotic thrombocytopenia (TTS/VITT) and viral vector vaccines
o Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and viral vector vaccines
Assess risk of vaccine mediated enhanced disease
Assess safety in pregnancy
Conduct genomic assessments for cases and controls for myocarditis, TTS/VITT, and
GBS
2025-OIA-002-Whittome
The publications thus far are:
Phillips A, Jiang Y, Walsh D, Andrews N, Artama M, Clothier H, Cullen L, Deng L, Escolano S,
Gentile A, Gidding G.
Background rates of adverse events of special interest for COVID-19
vaccines: a multinational Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN) analysis. Vaccine. 2023 Oct
6;41(42):6227-38.
Faksová K, Walsh D, Jiang Y, Griffin J, Phillips A, Gentile A, Kwong JC, Macartney K, Naus M,
Grange Z, Escolano S.
COVID-19 vaccines and adverse events of special interest: A
multinational Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN) cohort study of 99 million vaccinated
individuals. Vaccine. 2024 Apr 2;42(9):2200-11.
Were the covid19 vaccines effective? Eg what are the numbers and reports of doses
administered v reported disease cases?
This research does not assess the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
Were the vaccines safe?
Our research assesses the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines and seeks to estimate the risk
of selected serious adverse events. The findings to date confirm that the risk of serious
adverse events following these vaccines is very low. The research contributes to the body of
evidence about safety.
Were the rare side effects quantified of these vaccines?
GVDN have completed the analysis for the association studies for TTS, myo and pericarditis
and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. The results will be made publicly available following finalisation,
peer review, and publication and will provide important contributions to understanding the risk
for these adverse events. We therefore decline to provide the requested information under
section 18(d) of the Act on the basis that the information will soon be publicly available.
More generally, we do not disclose interim research results before they have been reviewed
and verified (i.e. finalised). To release results before they have been confirmed risks the
disclosure of inaccurate or misleading information which is detrimental to the public interest.
We therefore would also withhold the release of any interim results under section 9(2)(ba)(ii)
on the basis that it is confidential and necessary to withhold as to otherwise release would
damage the public interest in having confidence in the integrity of published scientific research.
What was the impact or infection fatality rate of this disease?
This research does not assess these outcomes.
Was the Privacy Commissioner consulted for accessing private medical information for this
program of work?
All studies are conducted with country-specific local ethical approval. No personal or identifying
information is available to the investigators. Health administrative data is deidentified and
where the case numbers are less than 5, this information is withheld from GVDN’s data
dashboards and published papers to protect the privacy of individuals.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Farleigh Quinlivan
Risk and Compliance Manager
Auckland UniServices Limited
2025-OIA-002-Whittome
