Pfizer PHARMAC communications

Request dated 5 June 2019 under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) for information relating to communications between PHARMAC and Pfizer.

22 July 2019

[Name and contact details redacted]

Dear [Name redacted]

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Thank you for your request dated 5 June 2019 under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) for information relating to communications between PHARMAC and Pfizer.  We received your request on 10 June 2019 and extended the date for response to 22 July 2019. Your request was:

A copy of all the communications relating to the table below.

On what date?

Type of communication

Contact originator

Recipient

Thursday, 8 Nov 2018

Phone

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Friday, 9 Nov 2018

Phone

Pfizer

PHARMAC

Thursday, 22 Nov 2018

Phone

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Wednesday, 28 Nov 2018

Phone

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Monday, 3 Dec 2018

Phone

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Monday, 3 Dec 2018

Email

Pfizer

PHARMAC

Monday, 3 Dec 2018

Phone

Pfizer

PHARMAC

Monday, 3 Dec 2018

Email

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Monday, 3 Dec 2018

Email

Pfizer

PHARMAC

Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018

Phone/Email

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Wednesday, 5 Dec 2018

Email

PHARMAC

Pfizer

Please find attached [PDF, 168 KB], the information requested.

There are two communications where we hold no filenote of the phone conversations. We have summarised staff recollections as follows:

22 November 2018

Phone call - Brian Roulston, PHARMAC (BR) and Carmel Murphy, Pfizer, (CM).

BR noted that a vaccination campaign in Northland had been approved and that PHARMAC had been able to source approx. 20,000 vaccines from the contracted supplier, Sanofi, sufficient for the programme. The programme was expected to start in December and an announcement was expected shortly. In the meantime please keep this information confidential.  BR thanked CM for Pfizer’s help so far. CM said that if Pfizer could be of help then please get in contact. 

3 December 2018

Phone call - Brian Roulston, PHARMAC (BR) and Carmel Murphy, Pfizer, (CM).

No answer – summary of message left. BR said that there was a risk that there would be a supply gap of MenW vaccine – stock from the first shipment of 10,000 could be exhausted before the arrival of the second shipment of 10,000 due approx. mid December. Ideally we were looking for approx. 5,000 doses as soon as possible, was Pfizer able to supply stock from Australia?

We have redacted a small amount of information from the attached documents as we consider this is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons (section 9(2)(a)).

As required under the OIA, we also considered whether, in the circumstances, the withholding of this information was outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable, in the public interest, to make this information available.  In this case we did not consider that the public interest outweighed the reasons for withholding the information.  Please note you have the right, by way of complaint under section 28(3) of the OIA to an Ombudsman, to seek an investigation and review of our decision.

We trust that this information answers your queries.  We are making our information more freely available, so we will now publish selected OIA responses (excluding personal details) on our website.  Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about this.

Yours sincerely

[Alison Hill's signature]

Alison Hill
Director, Engagement and Implementation