Number of Measles Cases since the MMR was introduced in 1989 to Australia
Dear Department of Health,
Can I please have a copy of:
- The number of vaccine derived measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- The number of wild measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- Any complaints/feedback/correspondence to the department from licensed medical professionals regarding the measles, vaccine derived or wild
- Any internal discussion in relation to the above
To assist the Department, I specifically exclude:
- Duplicates of documents (I only require 1 copy of each document)
Where possible, I would prefer that this information is provided in it's original format - that is to say, either in Microsoft Word or HTML (where received online or via email). I ask that you do not use PDFs wherever possible as it makes it difficult to read the information.
Please deal with this request informally or in accordance with your Administrative Access scheme if practicable. If this isn't practical, please consider it a formal application under the Freedom of Information Act.
Yours faithfully,
Alissa Pattrick
Attention: Alissa Pattrick
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT
I am writing to notify you that the Department of Health (Department) has received your request (in your below email) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The Department will take all reasonable steps to notify you of a decision no later than 30 calendar days after the date your request was received. You will be contacted where a charge is applied for processing your request or if we need to consult a third party.
Unless you advise otherwise, duplicate documents and Commonwealth employee names and contact details below Senior Executive Service level and mobile telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
You can contact the FOI Unit on (02) 6289 1666, or via email at [email address], should you have any enquiries.
Regards
FOI Unit
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the sender immediately.
Attention: Alissa Pattrick
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – NOTIFICATION OF RECEIPT
I am writing to notify you that the Department of Health (Department) has received your request (in your below email) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
The Department will take all reasonable steps to notify you of a decision no later than 30 calendar days after the date your request was received. You will be contacted where a charge is applied for processing your request or if we need to consult a third party.
Unless you advise otherwise, duplicate documents and Commonwealth employee names and contact details below Senior Executive Service level and mobile telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
You can contact the FOI Unit on (02) 6289 1666, or via email at [email address], should you have any enquiries.
Regards
FOI Unit
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the sender immediately.
Good afternoon Ms Pattrick,
We refer to your Freedom of Information Request submitted on 11 April 2019
for:
“- The number of vaccine derived measles cases in Australia for each year
since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- The number of wild measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989
when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- Any complaints/feedback/correspondence to the department from licensed
medical professionals regarding the measles, vaccine derived or wild
- Any internal discussion in relation to the above”
We have consulted with the Line Area, relevant to the documents you have
requested.
In relation to your first two points of your request please see the below
information.
The number of vaccine derived measles cases in Australia for each year
since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
The national surveillance case definition for the notification of measles
cases for communicable disease surveillance and response in Australia
excludes the notification of vaccine derived measles:
· Surveillance case definition:
[1]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
Cases in whom vaccine strain virus is identified are not notifiable as
disease cases, but rather should be reported as adverse vaccine events.
The number of wild measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989
when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
Information on the number of measles cases that met the national
surveillance case definition is publicly available. The national
surveillance case definition for the notification of measles cases for
communicable disease surveillance and response purposes in Australia can
be found at:
[2]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
Some nationally published information sources for this information
include:
· The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) was
established in 1991. Summary data on measles cases, as well as other
notifiable diseases, that have been reported to the NNDSS from each State
and Territory from 1991 to present are available from:
[3]http://www.health.gov.au/nndssdata
· Annual reports on data in the NNDSS are published in the
Department of Health’s Communicable Diseases Intelligence journal. Annual
reports have currently been published for the following periods: 1917 to
1991 and 1994 to 2015. These reports are available from:
[4]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
In light of the above information, can you advise whether you are willing
to revise your scope to remove the first two points, noting that this
information is publicly available?
In relation to the third point, are you seeking documents constituting a
complaint or feedback related to particular issue? If so, please confirm
what issues specifically.
Kind regards
Alana
FOI Unit
[5]cid:image002.png@01D152AA.D704F7C0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [6][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
Good afternoon Ms Pattrick,
We have not received a response from you in relation to our below email.
If we do not receive a response from you by COB 3 May 2019, we will begin
a formal consultation process with you under section 24AB of the FOI Act
to clarify the scope of your request.
Please provide a response to our below email.
Kind regards
FOI Unit
[1]cid:image001.png@01D1A615.A11AFEC0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [2][Health request email]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
From: FOI
Sent: Wednesday, 24 April 2019 1:34 PM
To: '[FOI #5372 email]'
Subject: FOI Request 1113 - Clarification of scope [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good afternoon Ms Pattrick,
We refer to your Freedom of Information Request submitted on 11 April 2019
for:
“- The number of vaccine derived measles cases in Australia for each year
since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- The number of wild measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989
when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
- Any complaints/feedback/correspondence to the department from licensed
medical professionals regarding the measles, vaccine derived or wild
- Any internal discussion in relation to the above”
We have consulted with the Line Area, relevant to the documents you have
requested.
In relation to your first two points of your request please see the below
information.
The number of vaccine derived measles cases in Australia for each year
since 1989 when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
The national surveillance case definition for the notification of measles
cases for communicable disease surveillance and response in Australia
excludes the notification of vaccine derived measles:
· Surveillance case definition:
[3]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
Cases in whom vaccine strain virus is identified are not notifiable as
disease cases, but rather should be reported as adverse vaccine events.
The number of wild measles cases in Australia for each year since 1989
when the MMR vaccine was introduced to Australia.
Information on the number of measles cases that met the national
surveillance case definition is publicly available. The national
surveillance case definition for the notification of measles cases for
communicable disease surveillance and response purposes in Australia can
be found at:
[4]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
Some nationally published information sources for this information
include:
· The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) was
established in 1991. Summary data on measles cases, as well as other
notifiable diseases, that have been reported to the NNDSS from each State
and Territory from 1991 to present are available from:
[5]http://www.health.gov.au/nndssdata
· Annual reports on data in the NNDSS are published in the
Department of Health’s Communicable Diseases Intelligence journal. Annual
reports have currently been published for the following periods: 1917 to
1991 and 1994 to 2015. These reports are available from:
[6]http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/p...
In light of the above information, can you advise whether you are willing
to revise your scope to remove the first two points, noting that this
information is publicly available?
In relation to the third point, are you seeking documents constituting a
complaint or feedback related to particular issue? If so, please confirm
what issues specifically.
Kind regards
Alana
FOI Unit
[7]cid:image002.png@01D152AA.D704F7C0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [8][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.
Good morning Ms Pattrick,
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your above FOI request.
Kind regards
FOI Unit
[1]cid:image002.png@01D152AA.D704F7C0
Legal Advice & Legislation Branch
Legal & Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health
T: (02) 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health acknowledges the traditional owners of country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and
community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders
both past and present.
If you receive this email in error, please delete it and contact the
sender immediately.