Media statement from the MoH re: Dr Stewart Reid

Media statement from the Ministry of Health, re Dr Stewart Reid

Dr Stewart Reid is a general practitioner with an excellent knowledge of immunisation, vaccines and vaccine safety, held in high regard nationally and internationally. Dr Reid is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, has been an advisor to the Ministry of Health for 25 years, a member of a successful general practice and has published widely on communicable diseases and immunisation in New Zealand.

Dr Reid has served on and chaired several advisory groups and committees on communicable disease, immunisation policy and practice. With his expertise on immunisation, he has been contracted by Medsafe to review licensing applications, is a member of the Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee and the Vaccine Sub Committee.

New Zealand is a small country and it is inevitable that members of expert advisory committees will have potential conflicts of interest. To completely exclude professionals with extensive experience in a subject because of a potential conflict of interest may actually weaken the decision-making process and lead to poorer quality decisions. The State Services Commission, the Ministry of Health and other professional organisations all have published guidelines on the declaration and management of potential conflicts of interest.

ENDS

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