Question Number: 161
PDR Number: SQ22-000530
Date Submitted: 21/11/2022
Department or Body: Department of Health
Question 34 This question should be directed to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). However, based on the information published by the AIHW, there is no evidence to support the statement about a supposed increase in deaths being indicative of autoimmune and prion diseases.
Further detail is at:
• www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/deaths-from-diabetes, and
• ww.aihw.gov.au/reports/dementia/dementia-in-aus/contents/population-healthimpacts-of-dementia/deaths-due-to-dementia.
Question 35 The age-standardised prevalence rate of diabetes increased from 2.4% in 2000 to 4.3% in 2020. 2020 was before the commencement of vaccine rollout in Australia. This is based on linked data from the National Diabetes Services Scheme and Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group. The diabetes rate peaked in 2016 and remained stable between 2016 and 2020. This is not considered a rapid rise in diabetes. There is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 vaccines are causing an increase in the incidence of Type 1 Diabetes. The Therapeutic Goods Administration reviewed this issue in August 2022 (as did several other global regulators) and concluded that there was insufficient evidence of a causal relationship based on adverse event data, observed versus expected analysis, and a paucity of epidemiological and published literature.