Purchaser Acknowledgement for the COVID-19 vaccine
Dear Department of Health,
On 17 August 2023, the Pretoria High Court ruled in the Health Justice Initiative's favor in the bid to compel the South African National Department of Health to provide access to all COVID-19 vaccine procurement contracts and other documents.
The Manufacturing and Supply Agreement between Pfizer and Laboratories Proprietary Limited and the Government of the Republic of South Africa Acting Through The National Department of Health of South Africa ("NDOH"), signed on 01 April 2023, has been released: https://healthjusticeinitiative.org.za/w...
In the Agreement, Under Purchaser Acknowledgement 5.5 Purchaser Acknowledgement, it states:
"Purchaser acknowledges that the Vaccine and materials related to the Vaccine, and their components and constituent materials are being rapidly developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to be studied after provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Agreement. Purchaser further acknowledges that the long-term effects and efficacy of the Vaccine are not currently known and that there may be adverse effects of the Vaccine that are not currently known. Further, to the extent applicable, Purchaser acknowledges that the Product shall not be serialized.
Please advise the content of the Purchaser Acknowledgement for the following COVID-19 vaccine:
Product Name: COMIRNATY DISPERSION FOR INJECTION COVID-19 MRNA VACCINE (NUCLEOSIDE MODIFIED) 30 MICROGRAMS/DOSE
Registration No.: HK-67665
Product Name: COMIRNATY ORIGINAL/OMICRON BA.4-5 DISPERSION FOR INJECTION COVID-19 MRNA VACCINE (NUCLEOSIDE MODIFIED) (15/15 MICROGRAMS)/DOSE
Registration No.: HK-67666
Yours faithfully,
Rossi
Dear Rossi,
We have received your application dated 25.10.2023 seeking access to
information relating to the purchaser acknowledgement for the COVID-19
vaccines under registration number HK-67665 and HK-67666.
As your request for information involves consultation with various parties
concerned, we are unable to provide you with the information sought at
this stage. Pursuant to paragraph 1.16 of the Code, you will be advised
further in relation to your request on or before 3.11.2023.
Should you have any questions in the meantime, please contact me at 2125
2215.
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
Dear Rossi,
Further to my email below, as we need some more time to process your
application, according to paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to
Information, you will be advised further in relation to your request on or
before 14.11.2023. Should you have any questions in the meantime, please
contact me at 2125 2215.
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
Dear Rossi,
Thank you for your application dated 25.10.2023 seeking access to
information relating to the purchaser acknowledgement for the COVID-19
vaccines under registration number HK-67665 and HK-67666.
Please note that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region has not purchased the two named registered COVID-19 vaccines
(HK-67665 and HK-67666). Your application therefore cannot be processed.
If we can be of any assistance in the provision of other information in
the future, please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
Dear Department of Health,
Would you please provide me the name and the Registration No. for those COVID-19 Vaccines
within the Government Vaccination Programme?
Yours faithfully,
Rossi
Dear Rossi,
Thank you for your application dated 07.11.2023 seeking access to
information relating to the name and the registration number of COVID-19
vaccines used under the Government Vaccination Programme. The requested
information is as follows:
1. CoronaVac COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated
2. Comirnaty COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (BNT162b2) Concentrate for Dispersion
for Injection
3. Comirnaty 10 micrograms/dose Concentrate for Dispersion for Injection
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
4. Comirnaty 3 micrograms/dose Concentrate for Dispersion for Injection
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
5. Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5 (15/15 micrograms)/dose Dispersion
for Injection COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
Please note that all of the vaccines listed above are currently authorized
for use under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Use of Vaccines)
Regulation (Cap. 599K) instead of registration under the Pharmacy and
Poisons Regulations (Cap. 138A).
If we can be of any assistance in the provision of other information in
the future, please do not hesitate to contact us again.
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
Dear Department of Health,
Please advise the context of the Purchaser Acknowledgement for the following COVID-19 vaccine:
1. CoronaVac COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated
2. Comirnaty COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (BNT162b2) Concentrate for Dispersion
for Injection
3. Comirnaty 10 micrograms/dose Concentrate for Dispersion for Injection
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
4. Comirnaty 3 micrograms/dose Concentrate for Dispersion for Injection
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
5. Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5 (15/15 micrograms)/dose Dispersion
for Injection COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (nucleoside modified)
Yours faithfully,
Rossi
Dear Rossi,
I refer to your email dated 8.11.2023 seeking access to information
relating to the purchaser acknowledgement for the COVID-19 vaccines used
under the Government Vaccination Programme.
As your request involves consultation with various parties concerned, we
are unable to provide you with the information sought at this stage.
Pursuant to 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, you will be
advised further in relation to your request on or before 28.11.2023.
Should you have any questions in the meantime, please contact me at 2125
2215.
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
Dear Rossi,
Thank you for your application dated 8.11.2023 seeking access to
information relating to the Purchaser Acknowledgement for the five
COVID-19 vaccines used under the Government Vaccination Programme.
After careful consideration of your application, we regret to inform you
that we are unable to provide the information requested. The Government
of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has entered into
confidentiality / non-disclosure agreement with the suppliers of the five
COVID-19 vaccines concerned. The request is declined based on paragraph
2.16 of the Code on Access to Information, which states that information
including commercial, financial, scientific or technical confidences,
trade secrets or intellectual property the disclosure of which would harm
the competitive or financial position of any person. In this case, we
consider that the public interest in disclosure of the information does
not outweigh any harm to the competitive or financial position of the
vaccine suppliers concerned.
You may ask the department to review the decision by writing to Deputy
Director of Health at 21st Floor, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East,
Hong Kong if you are not satisfied with the above decision.
Alternatively, you may complain to The Ombudsman, whose address is –
Office of The Ombudsman, Hong Kong
30/F, China Merchants Tower,
Shun Tak Centre, 168-200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
Complaint Hotline：2629 0555
Fax：2882 8149
Stephen Lowe
for Director of Health
