Address: Risks of Political Interference at the PHAC.
Use Case: reporting
Cases Following Vaccination

16 Oct 2025: ATIP submitted

The ATIP request was submitted to PHAC to seek for more transparency related to how PHAC made decisions related to publishing its 'Cases Following Vaccination' data. The update on this action will be provided  on  here and in Action Tracker.

21 Oct 2025: Acknoweldgement & Questions

Subject: Re: Public Heath Agency of Canada Access to Information request A-2025-000101 

On Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 9:48 AM XXXXXX (HC/SC) <cXXXXXXX@hc-sc.gc.ca> wrote:

Unclassified / Non classifié

Our file: PHAC-A-2025-000101 / CMD

Dmitry Gorodnichy

XXXXXXX

Dear Dmitry Gorodnichy:

This is to acknowledge receipt of your request made under the Access to Information Act (the Act) for the following information:

Timeframe: January 1, 2019 – January 31, 2023 All internal and external communications, briefing notes, meeting minutes, policy documents, reports, and correspondence (including emails, memos, and attachments) held by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) that relate to the methodology used for reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by vaccination status — specifically within the context of the “Cases Following Vaccination” reports published between 2021 and 2023. This request includes, but is not limited to: 1. Communications and records discussing or approving the decision to report cumulative counts rather than weekly counts of cases, hospitalizations, or deaths. 2. Documents explaining or justifying the inclusion of cases, hospitalizations, or deaths that occurred prior to vaccine administration within “vaccinated” data categories. 3. Any references, directives, or recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), or from any other international or domestic advisory body, cited as rationale or “best practices” for the adopted reporting method. 4. Internal analyses, data quality reviews, or risk assessments discussing the impact of the chosen methodology on data interpretation or public communication.

Your request and application fee were received by our office on October 17, 2025, however, we are unable to proceed with your request as stated.  Given the broad scope of your request, we’d like to propose a few ways to narrow the search to make processing more efficient and focused on the most relevant material you are requesting.  Below is a breakdown of your current request with possible options to refine it;

1. - Timeframe:

January 1, 2019 – January 31, 2023

→ You could narrow to January 2021 – December 2022, when the “Cases Following Vaccination” reports were produced.

2. - Records Sought:

All internal and external communications, briefing notes, meeting minutes, policy documents, reports, and correspondence (including emails, memos, and attachments) held by PHAC that relate to the methodology used for reporting COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by vaccination status — specifically within the context of the “Cases Following Vaccination” reports published between 2021 and 2023.

→ You may wish to limit this to final versions only and DG level and above as this is where the decisions making level lies, perhaps also specific document types (e.g., briefing notes and internal analyses only, or emails containing key terms such as “methodology” or “cumulative counts”).

3.  Decision to report cumulative counts rather than weekly counts

→ Could limit to final briefing or approval records only (exclude draft correspondence) DG level or higher

4. - Inclusion of pre-vaccination cases within “vaccinated” categories

→ Could focus on internal analyses or explanatory material prepared for senior management.

5. - References or directives from WHO or other advisory bodies

→ Could limit to final referenced materials or WHO-related documents only.

6. - Internal analyses, data quality reviews, or risk assessments on the chosen methodology

→ Could narrow to finalized reviews or executive summaries (exclude drafts or duplicates).

Additional options to consider:

A - Focus on specific PHAC branches (e.g., Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Communications and Public Affairs).

B - Exclude publicly available reports or web content.

The processing of your request will start upon receipt of the required clarification. In the meantime, your request will be put on hold. Should we not hear from you by November 20, 2025, we will consider your request abandoned and the file will be closed.

Please contact the undersigned either by phone at 613-296-4299 or by email at    XXXXX@hc-sc.gc.ca, with reference to our file number cited above. In the event that our program officials require clarification of your request in order to properly identify the relevant records, you will be contacted by us.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to assist you with your request and will ensure that every reasonable effort is made to help you receive a complete, accurate and timely response. More information about the Principles for Assisting Applicants is available at: https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=18310#appC

Please be advised that you are entitled to complain to the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada concerning the processing of your request within 60 days of the receipt of this notice. In the event you decide to avail yourself of this right, your notice of complaint can be made online at: https://www.oic-ci.gc.ca/en or by mail to:

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

30 Victoria Street

Gatineau, Quebec  K1A 1H3

We are happy to be able to offer you a new and fast way to receive answers to your inquiries at no additional cost to you. Canada Post’s Connect service is a secure messaging service that protects your documents, files and messages (see attached). As a result, your identity and all information sent to our office will be protected, and your privacy rights will be respected at all times under the Privacy Act.

Once you have created your Connect account, we ask that you inform our office by email at: atip-aiprp@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Yours sincerely,

_______________________________________________________________________

XXXXXXXXXX

Team Leader, Access to Information and Privacy Division

Corporate Policy & Planning Services Directorate

Corporate Services Branch

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada / Government of Canada

XXXXXXXXXX

23 OCT 2025: Clarifications

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Dmitry O. Gorodnichy 

Date: Thu, Oct 23, 2025 

Subject: Re: Public Heath Agency of Canada Access to Information request A-2025-000101

To: XXXXX

Hello XXXX,

Thank you for your email and your suggestions on how to narrow the search.

1. Please narrow the search to  January 2021 – December 2022.

2. Please narrow the search by excluding to the following branches:

   1. Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Management Branch

   2. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Branch

   3. National Microbiology Laboratory Branch

3. Please exclude publicly available reports or web content, 

4. Please  exclude duplicates, however please do include all drafts

5. With respect to references or directives from WHO or other advisory bodies, you can limit your search to final referenced materials or WHO-related documents .

I hope this will allow to considerably  reduce the workload in searching for  the requested  information.

Critically: 

It is requested that all internal and external communications that mention, discuss, or compare "cases following vaccination" statistics—especially those used to compare the number of "covid cases deceased" among unvaccinated and vaccinated populations—be provided, including all drafts.

Please note that "covid cases deceased" may also be referred to as "Covid deaths," "Deaths with Covid," or "Deaths from Covid," where the term "Covid" may appear in uppercase and/or include the "-19" suffix (as in "COVID-19 deaths").

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you

Dmitry