Are PCR and Rapid tests are diagnostic for active disease and transmission?

Internal Review of FOI 23/902

Dear Katon Bouzalakos

Thank you for your two emails of 19 December 2023. In the first you said:

"Thank you for the reply on my FOI 23/902 but you didn't answer my question.

Your answer was Quote :The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) can only be used to access recorded information held by a public body. It cannot be used to obtain guidance, OPINIONS. End of Quote

You are introducing revisionism by promoting-forwarding PCR and Rapid tests as "diagnostic" for active disease and transmission, no matter of relevant symptoms, with out any proof, although because of the revisionism you introduce, it is you as state who have the obligation to prove this, not us as citizens. Despite this, you do not provide any supportive evidence, while I provided info for the opposite (that they are NOT diagnostic, especially as a sole test). So, it is your unproved and unsupported opinion which has the problem, as you are obliged to provide proof and supportive evidence about this revisional opinion."

In the second email, also on 19 December, you said:

"I am asking for your fare answer on my question about the diagnostic value of these tests, as with what you've sent me as "answer", practically you didn't (or avoided to) answer my simple question."

Both of these two new emails state your view that the MHRA's response to FOI 23/902 did not answer the question you had asked. As advised in the response to FOI 23/902, if you disagree with the handling of an FOI request, you have the right to have the decision reviewed; this is an 'internal review'.

Further to your emails of 19 December, we will now conduct an internal review of the handling of FOI 23/902 to reconsider the request and determine if the MHRA's response appropriately applied the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. We note that your request FOI 23/902 itself referred to a previous request FOI 23/804, and the internal review will also include consideration of any relevant aspects of the handling of that request too.

We aim to respond to requests for internal review within 20 working days of receipt.

MHRA Customer Experience Centre
Communications and engagement team
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

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Dear Katon Bouzalakos,

Thank you for your email.

We are writing to extend the deadline for completion of the internal review for request FOI 23/902. In accordance with the FOI Code of Practice and ICO guidance, we are extending the deadline for a further 20 days until 19 February 2024.

Kind Regards

MHRA Customer Service Experience
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU

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Dear Katon Bouzalakos

Your request FOI 23/902 and your two subsequent emails of 19/12/2023 were
submitted to us through different whatdotheyknow request pages. The emails
of 19 December were acknowledged as seeking an internal review of FOI
23/902, and we have therefore copied this response to both wdtk webpages. 

It may be helpful for processing in future, if you wish to appeal
a response issued to you, that you select the relevant option for that
request on the website if you are unhappy with the response, rather than
submit your complaints on a new wdtk page. Guidance on usage of the wdtk
website is here:

[1]Making requests - WhatDoTheyKnow

Kind regards

MHRA Customer Experience Centre

Communications and engagement team

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU

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