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How does the operation of PHARMAC's 'Community Exceptional ...

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The names <strong>of</strong> most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> PHARMAC staff have been deleted from <strong>the</strong>se<br />

documents however many documents contained initials <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> PHARMAC staff.<br />

An informed reader could, in many cases, decipher which person wrote <strong>the</strong><br />

document or who was being referred to in <strong>the</strong> document. The names <strong>of</strong> many<br />

non-PHARMAC people such as <strong>the</strong> Regional Health Authority staff, medical and<br />

pharmaceutical interest groups and <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health personnel were not<br />

withheld.<br />

Official Information Act Request to <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health<br />

In my letter to Stephen McKernan, Director-General <strong>of</strong> Health, on 5 th February<br />

2009, I requested all reports and briefing documents which were given to <strong>the</strong><br />

Minister <strong>of</strong> Health relating to PHARMAC’s Community <strong>Exceptional</strong><br />

Circumstances policy between 2000 and 2008. I asked for reports and advice<br />

which was forwarded to <strong>the</strong> Minister regarding <strong>the</strong> criteria for <strong>the</strong> appointment <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Community <strong>Exceptional</strong> Circumstances Panels, <strong>the</strong> names and<br />

backgrounds <strong>of</strong> all members who have served on this committee between 2002<br />

and 2008.<br />

The request also included all reports and advice forwarded to <strong>the</strong> Minister <strong>of</strong><br />

Health or prepared by <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health and reports to <strong>the</strong> Minister<br />

regarding PHARMAC’s transparency and accountability to Parliament between<br />

2002 and 2008.<br />

Finally, I asked for a copy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> public submissions which were made to <strong>the</strong><br />

Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health in relation to <strong>the</strong> Towards a New Zealand Medicines Strategy<br />

consultation document between December 2006 and March 2007. The Ministry<br />

<strong>of</strong> Health advised that <strong>the</strong> material in this request was available in <strong>the</strong> public<br />

domain on <strong>the</strong> Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health website. They also advised that <strong>the</strong>y needed<br />

more time to consider my request and extended <strong>the</strong>ir response time by 20 days.<br />

On 7 th April Deborah Roach, Deputy-Director General <strong>of</strong> Health (Health and<br />

Disability Systems Strategy) advised that 12 documents were being released<br />

under <strong>the</strong> terms and conditions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> OIA in response to my request. Several<br />

documents were withheld because release <strong>of</strong> material would hinder <strong>the</strong> ability <strong>of</strong><br />

Ministry <strong>of</strong> Health staff to maintain <strong>the</strong> conduct <strong>of</strong> effective public affairs and<br />

provide free and frank expressions <strong>of</strong> opinions to <strong>the</strong> Minister <strong>of</strong> Health.<br />

196

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