Monday 17th April 2023

(1 year, 6 months ago)

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Will Quince Portrait The Minister for Health and Secondary Care (Will Quince)
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Between May and June 2022, 13 parliamentary questions (PQs) were answered regarding the UK Health Security Agency testing covid-19 variants for a pre-exposure prophylaxis antibody therapy (tixagevimab and cilgavimab), known by the brand name Evusheld. The PQs are: PQ3627; PQ2654; HL215; HL219; PQ1507; PQ3710; PQ11547; PQ14599; HL157; PQ17128; PQ15321; HL653; and PQ691.

In simplifying the technical language, the responses to these PQs incorrectly indicated that testing was ongoing. During June, the UK Health Security Agency carried out isolation and characterisation of the BA.4 omicron variant in preparation for testing it against various compounds, which could potentially have included Evusheld. However, in the PQ responses, these activities were incorrectly interpreted as testing and the language was simplified. No further testing of Evusheld including against BA.4 omicron variant took place after 26 May 2022.

The table below summarises the testing UKHSA carried out on Evusheld.

Run Number

Test Week

Data Analysed

Variant/Comments

CVAOOO56

25 April 2022

3 May 2022

Omicron BA.2

CVA00057

3 May 2022

11 May 2022

Omicron BA.2

CVA00058

9 May 2022

15 May 2022

Omicron BA.2

CVA00059

16 May 2022

22 May 2022

Omicron BA.2

CVA00060

23 May 2022

No analysis required because previous data captured on CVA00059 was sufficient.

Testing ceased 26 May 2022



Through this WMS I am apologising for these errors and clarifying the situation with regards to the testing of Evusheld. The Department takes its responsibility for parliamentary accountability very seriously and has reviewed and amended the process for checking responses to parliamentary questions to ensure future accuracy. The table below sets out the PQ reference, the Member or peer who asked the question and the date it was published.

PQ Reference

Member/Peer

Date Published

PQ3627

Chris Green MP (Bolton West & Atherton)

24 May 2022

PQ2654

Amy Callaghan MP (East Dunbartonshire)

24 May 2022

HL215

Lord Mendelsohn

25 May 2022

HL219

Lord Mendelsohn

25 May 2022

PQ1507

Alex Cunningham MP (Stockton North)

7 June 2022

PQ3710

Alex Sobel MP (Leeds North West)

7 June 2022

PQ11547

Christopher Chope MP (Christchurch & East Dorset)

14 June 2022

PQ14599

Dan Carden MP (Liverpool Walton)

14 June 2022

HL157

Lord Mendelsohn

16 June 2022

PQ17128

Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (Streatham)

17 June 2022

PQ15321

Catherine West MP (Hornsey & Wood Green)

21 June 2022

HL653

Lord Mendelsohn

20 June 2022

PQ691

Henry Smith MP (Crawley)

21 June 2022

[HCWS711]