Scientific evidence underpinning the IPCEG guidance on mask-usage
Dear Department of Health,
1. Could you please supply the "evidence" referred to in the document here:
https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/... recommending the use of face masks. Please include all current evidence used in this guidance, or non-current evidence involved with previous versions of this guidance.
2. Could you please supply the names of all past and present ICEG members, including their qualifications and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or publications produced by ICEG.
Kind regards,
Andrew
Good afternoon Andrew,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
1. All current evidence referred to in the "Infection Prevention and Control
Expert Group – Guidance on Community Face Mask Use" dated 1 June 2022
([1]https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/...)
recommending the use of face masks, as well as non-current evidence involved
with previous versions of this guidance.
2. The names of all past and present IPCEG members, including their
qualification and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or
publications produced by IPCEG.
The reference number for your request is FOI-4999. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 26 February 2024. The statutory timeframe
for processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to
be notified of a decision from the department on or before 27 March 2024.
The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to consult
third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Other information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise:
· any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the
scope of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[2]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [3][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind regards,
Hannah
FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal and Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as 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 all Elders both past and present.
Dear Andrew,
I refer to your FOI request 4999 received by the department on 26 February
2024 seeking access to:
1. All current evidence referred to in the "Infection Prevention and Control
Expert Group – Guidance on Community Face Mask Use" dated 1 June 2022
([1]https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/...)
recommending the use of face masks, as well as non-current evidence involved
with previous versions of this guidance.
2. The names of all past and present IPCEG members, including their
qualification and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or
publications produced by IPCEG.
The business area would like to clarify the interpretation of Point 1 of
your request. Could you please clarify:
o if by “supply of evidence” you are seeking access to the links
referenced in the Guidance document or only to the content of the
Guidance document, and
o what you are intending to capture by “evidence”, for example, clinical
studies, scientific journals.
The business area would also like to confirm if you are only seeking
evidence used for the guidance document dated 1 June 2022. As the ICEG
operated from 2020 to 2022 there is potentially a large number of
documents within scope, if you are seeking evidence used for previous
versions of this guidance. Can you please confirm if you would be
amendable to limit Point 1 to the current version of the guidance
document.
Could you please clarify and confirm whether you are amendable with the
above by COB 11 March 2024.
Kind regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [2][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care 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
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2024 4:28 PM
To: Andrew <[FOI #11173 email]>
Subject: TRIM: Freedom of Information Request 4999 – Acknowledgement of
Receipt [SEC=OFFICIAL]
Good afternoon Andrew,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
1. All current evidence referred to in the "Infection Prevention and Control
Expert Group – Guidance on Community Face Mask Use" dated 1 June 2022
([3]https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/...)
recommending the use of face masks, as well as non-current evidence involved
with previous versions of this guidance.
2. The names of all past and present IPCEG members, including their
qualification and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or
publications produced by IPCEG.
The reference number for your request is FOI-4999. Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 26 February 2024. The statutory timeframe
for processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to
be notified of a decision from the department on or before 27 March 2024.
The period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to consult
third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Other information
The department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
notified in writing.
Unless you advise otherwise:
· any draft and duplicate documents will be excluded from the
scope of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log
[4]www.health.gov.au/resources/foi-disclosure-log, subject to certain
exceptions. (For example, personal information will not be published where
this would be unreasonable.)
You can contact the FOI team via email at [5][email address] or by phone
on 02 6289 1666, should you have any questions.
Kind regards,
Hannah
FOI Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation Branch
Legal and Assurance Division
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [6][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges First Nations peoples
as 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 all Elders both past and present.
To whom it may concern,
Thank you for your reply.
To clarify, yes, could you please provide BOTH the clinical evidence and studies published in scientific journals relied on to produce these poliicies/guidance around mask-usage for the prevention of COVID-19 AND the guidance itself and how it changed over time (2020-2022).
Kind regards,
Andrew
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for your clarification on what you are seeking regarding
‘evidence’.
Could we confirm if the scientific journals used for separate policies
linked within the Guidance document can be excluded. If your request is
also for separate policies linked within the guidance document this would
likely encompass a large number of documents, such that it may not be
practical to process your request, pursuant to section 24 of the FOI Act.
We would appreciate your confirmation by COB 11 March 2024.
Kind regards,
Alanah
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care 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
Dear Alana,
Thank you for your email.
The "key recommendation" in the guidance document (1 June 2022) is "ICEG recommends the use of
surgical masks or well-fitting, triple-layered cloth masks for the general public to reduce
transmission of COVID-19 and its variants" and so, I am seeking the scientific studies that were relied upon by the ICEG to make this key recommendation. Links to the studies would be sufficient so as to not make this request impracticable hopefully.
Kind regards,
Andrew
Good afternoon Andrew
I refer to your request of 26 February 2024 to the Department of Health
and Aged Care (department), seeking access under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:
1. All current evidence referred to in the "Infection Prevention and Control
Expert Group – Guidance on Community Face Mask Use" dated 1 June 2022
([1]https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/...)
recommending the use of face masks, as well as non-current evidence involved
with previous versions of this guidance.
2. The names of all past and present IPCEG members, including their
qualification and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or
publications produced by IPCEG.
Notice of Third Party Consultation
Documents have been identified in the scope of your request which contain
information relating to third parties. It has been determined that it
would be appropriate to consult with the affected third parties under
sections 27 and 27A of the FOI Act prior to a decision on access to those
documents being made.
Section 15(6) of the FOI Act allows the timeframe for processing your
request to be extended by 30 days to facilitate this consultation.
Accordingly, the statutory due date for your request is now 26 April 2024.
The department will continue processing your request and provide you with
a decision on access as soon we are able to do so.
Relevant provisions
The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in this email, can be
accessed from the Federal Register of Legislation website:
[2]www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562.
If you require clarification of any of the matters discussed in this email
you should contact the department’s FOI Section by email at
[3][email address].
Kind regards,
Alanah
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [4][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care 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
Dear Andrew,
I refer to FOI request 4999.
Please see attached a decision on access and documents referred to within
the decision.
Should you have any questions, please contact FOI on the below details,
Kind regards,
Alanah
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care 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
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2024 2:59 PM
To: Andrew <[FOI #11173 email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information Request 4999 - Notification of Affected
Third Party Consultation
Good afternoon Andrew
I refer to your request of 26 February 2024 to the Department of Health
and Aged Care (department), seeking access under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (Cth) (FOI Act) to the following documents:
1. All current evidence referred to in the "Infection Prevention and Control
Expert Group – Guidance on Community Face Mask Use" dated 1 June 2022
([2]https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/...)
recommending the use of face masks, as well as non-current evidence involved
with previous versions of this guidance.
2. The names of all past and present IPCEG members, including their
qualification and what "expert advice" they contributed to statements or
publications produced by IPCEG.
Notice of Third Party Consultation
Documents have been identified in the scope of your request which contain
information relating to third parties. It has been determined that it
would be appropriate to consult with the affected third parties under
sections 27 and 27A of the FOI Act prior to a decision on access to those
documents being made.
Section 15(6) of the FOI Act allows the timeframe for processing your
request to be extended by 30 days to facilitate this consultation.
Accordingly, the statutory due date for your request is now 26 April 2024.
The department will continue processing your request and provide you with
a decision on access as soon we are able to do so.
Relevant provisions
The FOI Act, including the provisions referred to in this email, can be
accessed from the Federal Register of Legislation website:
[3]www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A02562.
If you require clarification of any of the matters discussed in this email
you should contact the department’s FOI Section by email at
[4][email address].
Kind regards,
Alanah
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [5][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care 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