TRIM Ref: D21-2762875
Mr Andrew Stevens
By email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Stevens
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST FOI 2443
Notice of Decision
I refer to your request dated 4 June 2021 under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the
FOI Act) for access to the following documents:
“
I am requesting information about how many cycles the PCR tests as of Friday 4th of
June are currently set at in Australia regarding covid 19 testing.”
Decision Maker
I am the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) officer authorised to make this decision
under section 23 of the FOI Act. What follows is my decision under the FOI Act.
Decision
Unfortunately, I am unable to continue to process your request the documents you have
requested do not exist. Therefore, I am notifying you of my decision to refuse your request
for access under section 24A of the FOI Act.
Reasons for Decision
Section 24A of the FOI Act states that requests may be refused if all reasonable steps have
been taken to find a document, and it is evident that the document does not exist.
The relevant electronic databases, files and corporate file lists in the TGA have been
searched for the documents you have requested. Following these searches, I am satisfied
that all reasonable steps have been taken to find the documents requested, and I confirm
that the documents you have requested do not exist.
However, I am able to offer you the following links to information relating to Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) in infected
individuals:
•
Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) guidance on nucleic acid test
result interpretation for SARS-CoV-2
www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/phln-guidance-on-nucleic-acid-test-
result-interpretation-for-sars-cov-2
This guidance document provides an overview of diagnostic testing for the SARS-
CoV-2 virus.
PO Box 100 Woden ACT 2606 ABN 40 939 406 804
Phone: 1800 020 653 or 02 6232 8644 Fax: 02 6232 8112
Emai
l: xxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
https://www.tga.gov.au
•
COVID-19 testing in Australia - information for health professionals
www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-testing-australia-information-health-professionals
This page provides health professionals information about the tests for detecting
the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 virus) in Australia.
Other resources explaining PCR testing for COVID-19 can be found on publically available
websites, such as the article “
COVID-19 testing – what’s happening now and new
developments” at the
Lab Tests Online-Au website below:
www.labtestsonline.org.au/learning/index-of-conditions/covid-19/learn-more-about-
covid-19.
For scientific articles on COVID-19 PCR tests that are published in reputable journals and
are available in the public domain, you may wish to search the National Library of
Medicine website, National Center for Biotechnology Information at
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Review and Complaint Rights
If you are not satisfied with this decision, you can either seek internal review or apply to
the OAIC for review of the decision. Further information can be found on the OAIC website
at the following link
: www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information/reviews-and-complaints/
If you have any queries regarding this matter, please contact the FOI Team on
(02) 6289 4630.
Yours sincerely
Authorised and electronically signed by
Meryl Clarke
Assistant Secretary
Medical Devices Authorisation Branch
Therapeutic Goods Administration
23 June 2021
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