❓ Hon Ben Dawkins questions the Minister for Health regarding the accuracy and completeness of adverse event reporting following COVID-19 vaccination in WA, referencing concerns raised by Hon Brian Walker. The Minister denies impediments to reporting and refuses to release raw data due to patient confidentiality.
AnsweredQoN 1575Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
VACCINE SAFETY
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM — ANNUAL REPORT
1575. Hon BEN DAWKINS to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Western Australian
Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report 2022 that has now been published
by the Department of Health.
(1) Can the
minister address the concerns raised in Parliament on 15 November 2023 by Hon
Brian Walker, MLC, that the reporting of COVID-19 vaccination adverse events
was impeded and discouraged by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency during the 2022 calendar year?
(2) In light of these concerns raised by Hon Dr Brian Walker and others, how can the minister assure this Council that the
rate of adverse event reporting described in the WAVSS report is not misleading
or inaccurate?
(3) Will the
minister commit to releasing all the raw data collected or collated by the
Department of Health about adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in Western
Australia?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM — ANNUAL REPORT
1575. Hon BEN DAWKINS to the Leader of the House representing
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Western Australian
Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report 2022 that has now been published
by the Department of Health.
(1) Can the
minister address the concerns raised in Parliament on 15 November 2023 by Hon
Brian Walker, MLC, that the reporting of COVID-19 vaccination adverse events
was impeded and discouraged by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency during the 2022 calendar year?
(2) In light of these concerns raised by Hon Dr Brian Walker and others, how can the minister assure this Council that the
rate of adverse event reporting described in the WAVSS report is not misleading
or inaccurate?
(3) Will the
minister commit to releasing all the raw data collected or collated by the
Department of Health about adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in Western
Australia?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) The
Department of Health is not aware of any evidence to suggest that reporting of
adverse events by doctors following COVID-19
vaccination was impeded or discouraged during the 2022 calendar year. From the Western Australian Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report 2022 ,
adverse event reporting remains higher compared with the period prior to the
COVID-19 vaccination program.
(2) The Western
Australian Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report contains both passive
and active surveillance to ensure a comprehensive and complete picture of
adverse events in WA is captured.
(3) No.
(4) The Western Australian
Vaccine Safety Surveillance raw data contains confidential and potentially
identifying patient health information.
Department of Health is not aware of any evidence to suggest that reporting of
adverse events by doctors following COVID-19
vaccination was impeded or discouraged during the 2022 calendar year. From the Western Australian Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report 2022 ,
adverse event reporting remains higher compared with the period prior to the
COVID-19 vaccination program.
(2) The Western
Australian Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Annual report contains both passive
and active surveillance to ensure a comprehensive and complete picture of
adverse events in WA is captured.
(3) No.
(4) The Western Australian
Vaccine Safety Surveillance raw data contains confidential and potentially
identifying patient health information.
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