Our ref: F22/0052
Ajay Singh
Sent via emai
l: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Dear Mr Singh,
NOTICE OF DECISION
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST
I refer to your application made pursuant to the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act)
cited below and received by the department on 11 January 2022:
"For the my URN 56506144, for which RT PCR test was done on 15Sep Please provide
the product manual for the RT PCR test that was used for this test which includes but
not limited to how to use the the kit, limitation of kit , what this kit should be used for,
what cycle is preferred etc If possible please provide the report which confirms if RT
PCR successfully detected the exact variant of SARS COV2
Please provide document that mentions which all organisation both private and public
did have access to the swab samples or document where such agreement to share the
swab samples exist"
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic)
The Act establishes a general right of access to documents held by the department. To protect
essential public interests and the private and business affairs of individuals, the right of access
does not apply to
a
document identified in the Act as exempt.
Documents
Based on the wording of this request, the department conducted a thorough and diligent search
and advised that no relevant documents have been located. Enquiries were undertaken with
the Covid-19 Pathology Branch and the Public Health Division, and these areas advised that
the department does not hold the requested documents.
The division provided the following additional advice:
• In order to test in high volumes and to mitigate international supply chain risks, the
department relies on several laboratories and a range of Nucleic acid detection
assays/platforms to test and report SARS‐CoV‐2.
• These laboratories strictly adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions in running,
interpreting and reporting of the test results.
The following publicly available documents may be of assistance to you:
1. Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN) guidance on laboratory testing for SARS-
CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/phln-guidance-on-laboratory-
testing-for-sars-cov-2-the-virus-that-causes-covid-19
2. Therapeutic Goods Administration approved tests for legal supply in Australia
https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-test-kits-included-artg-legal-supply-australia
I also note that department has published publicly available testing criteria and guidance for
health
services
and
professionals;
this
information
can
be
found
here:
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/assessment-and-testing-criteria-coronavirus-covid-19#key-
resources
The department also wishes to advise that the department is a government agency and does
not conduct scientific studies or laboratory testing for the SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory.
Diagnostic assays using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) are
conducted by testing laboratories throughout Victoria and Australia.
Complaint rights
You can complain to the Office of the Information Commissioner if you are dissatisfied with the
way in which the request has been managed or in situations where documents do not exist or
cannot be located.
The enclosed fact sheet contains more information about this process.
Yours sincerely
Michael Ghobrial
A/Manager, Freedom of Information
25 / 03 / 2022
Enc.
1.
Fact Sheet – Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner – Complaints
