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The Queensland Government is facing strong pushback over its plans to destroy a globally significant biobank, which could prove invaluable to research into diagnosing and treating long Covid and Covid vaccine injuries.

Campaigners say that biosamples and linked data generated for the publicly-funded $20 million QoVAX Study Set, now defunded and permanently shelved, are of immense scientific importance, and that the government is ethically and legally obligated to make these samples and data available for future research.

Concerns have also been raised that the bank of over 100,000 biospecimens could be required as evidence in future court cases, particularly in relation to Covid vaccine injuries and contamination of Covid vaccines with high levels of synthetic DNA.

As one of the only studies in the world to include vaccinated and unvaccinated people over an extended time period, and to capture samples and data in subjects who had not yet been infected with Covid, QoVAX provided a unique opportunity for research into the long-term impacts of Covid and its associated vaccines.

However, the award-winning project, which boasted 11 million linked data points from 10,000 adult participants across 86% of Queensland postcodes, was defunded by the state Government just 18 months after its commencement, in June 2023, putting the research in jeopardy.

After no communication on the status of the project for nearly two years, the Government finally notified study participants of the impending destruction of their biospecimens in March of this year, on the grounds that there was “no longer a scientific or public health need” to retain them.

Yet, there is still so much that is unknown about long Covid and Covid vaccine injuries, and these samples and data could be useful in research to better understand these conditions, Professor Kerryn Phelps AM told me for a recent Canberra Daily report.

Professor Phelps, a GP and former president of the Australian Medical Association, said,

“We really need to develop biomarkers to be able to make a more definitive diagnosis, both for vaccine injury and for long Covid,”

“In parallel, we need to develop a range of evidence-based treatment protocols that are available to GPs and other specialists.”

Naomi Smith: Study Participant and Vaccine-Injured

The promise of this kind of research was the main motivation for Cairns woman Naomi Smith to join QoVAX as a study participant.

“The whole reason I took part in the study was the longitudinal aspect,” said Smith, who was “exceptionally disappointed” by the Government’s decision to destroy her biosamples, without any consultation with study participants.

The human resources consultant, 47, was diagnosed with vaccine-induced pericarditis and a host of other adverse symptoms after her second Pfizer shot in October 2021, and is one of many vaccine-injured Australians whose health has still not returned to baseline years later.

Smith is one of multiple QoVAX participants who is now investigating legal options in an effort to stop the destruction of their biospecimens.

In a strongly worded open letter, Smith and other study participants are demanding that their samples be preserved, as was “explicitly promised” in the participant consent form, and as is required under the relevant legal and ethical codes.

The letter says,

“I agreed to provide my blood and data with the clear understanding that my samples would remain available for ongoing and future studies.”

“Metro North Health [custodians of the samples and data] must immediately cease and permanently withdraw any plan, proposal, or intention to destroy, discard, de-identify, or otherwise dispose of the QoVAX Study biospecimens or associated research data.”

Failing a swift and satisfactory response, “I am prepared to pursue immediate legal remedies,” says the letter, which is addressed to Metro North Health, the Human Research Ethics Committee, and Premier David Crisafulli.

Legal avenues may include court orders, administrative complaints, public advocacy, and litigation.

“I’m hoping that they see there are valid reasons for keeping the specimens,” said Smith, who is co-founder and director of COVERSE, Australia’s peak non-profit representing the interests of the Covid vaccine-injured.

“I don’t think any of us were holding out hope that this would give us answers in the short term, but there is an opportunity for these specimens to be used for research to help people who have been incredibly sick.”

QoVAX and Legal Proceedings

There is also the alleged possibility that the QoVAX biosamples will be required for future legal proceedings, a matter raised in a legal notice sent to key Queensland Government figures by former barrister Julian Gillespie.

Gillespie authored the above-mentioned QoVAX participants’ letter, and earlier this year authored a citizens’ petition to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling for the suspension of the mRNA Covid vaccines due in part to repeated findings of synthetic DNA contamination in the shots.

Julian Gillespie. Image credit: Julian Gillespie/Dystopian Down Under.

Scientists allege that this DNA contamination, which has been confirmed in at least 10 independent studies, can lead to adverse effects such as autoimmune disorders, cancers, genomic integration, and other long-term health effects.

While regulators around the world deny that the contamination poses any risk, internal emails from Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) show that insiders know of the risk potential, even if they aren’t communicating this to the public.

Findings of synthetic DNA contamination in Australian blood samples have only heightened the level of concern for recipients of the mRNA Covid vaccines.

Gillespie’s letter states,

“The QoVAX dataset may prove critical to verifying synthetic DNA contamination findings now confirmed in multiple studies, including Australian blood sample analysis.”

“Destruction of this material would irreparably harm the ability of independent scientists and legal investigators to validate these findings and respond appropriately in the interests of public health and safety.”

“Analysis of QoVAX biospecimens and… data is expected to yield further critical public health evidence, and will likely become central to legal proceedings – both domestically and internationally.”

“Any destruction of records or samples following this notice may give rise to legal liability.”

Gillespie advises that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US has also been approached to raise awareness and support for retaining this biobank for international research efforts.

Newly reelected Senator Malcolm Roberts (One Nation), who represents Queensland in the Federal Parliament, has joined the calls to stop the destruction of QoVAX biosamples and data, writing to the Queensland Government leadership to request that planned destruction be immediately halted.

Posting to X, Senator Roberts said that, “Losing the last evidence that could inform a truly objective assessment of the effects of the injections wouldn’t just be a tragedy, it could be a crime.”

The largest ever study (QoVax) comparing COVID injected to non-injected patients has been stopped without explanation and Queensland Health is on track to destroy all of its samples and evidence.

Losing the last evidence that could inform a truly objective assessment of the… pic.twitter.com/rpmYOacCt5

— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) May 21, 2025

This is not mere hyperbole. Gillespie highlights that, under Queensland’s Criminal Code Act (1899), it is an offence to destroy evidence, or potential evidence, relevant to judicial proceedings.

Such proceedings could include legal challenges to the vaccine approvals, injury claims, or class action lawsuits.

Metro North Health was asked to comment on the various efforts to stop its planned destruction of the QoVAX biobank, however the response yielded no new information.

A spokesperson reiterated an earlier statement,

“Data for the QoVAX project is currently stored in accordance with the Queensland Government General Retention and Disposal Schedule, Health Sector (Clinical Records) Retention and Disposal Schedule and Health Sector (Corporate Records) Retention and Disposal Schedule.”

On the legal issues raised in letters received by Metro North Health, the spokesperson said,

“We are unable to provide any further information at this time while we consider legal advice regarding future disposal of the samples collected.”

Save QoVAX

A petition to the Queensland Parliament opposing the destruction of QoVAX biosamples and data has collected over 7,000 signatures and was open to all Queenslanders to sign until 8 June 2025.

QoVAX study participants can sign up via COVERSE to find out more about the legal letter prepared by Julian Gillespie to stop the destruction of their biosamples and data.

Concerned readers can write to the Queensland Premier, the Health Minister, and Metro North Health:

thepremier@premiers.qld.gov.au

health@ministerial.qld.gov.au

metronorthfeedback@health.qld.gov.au

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Republished with thanks to Dystopian Down Under. Image via Adobe.