Covid-19 Update Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Charles Walker
Main Page: Charles Walker (Conservative - Broxbourne)Department Debates - View all Charles Walker's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(3 years ago)
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Sajid Javid
I heard what the hon. Lady had to say, but the UK does not believe that waiving patent rights and intellectual property rights on these vaccines would be helpful. It would certainly mean that in the future there would be a huge disincentive for pharmaceutical companies to come forward and help the world with their technology.
Sir Charles Walker (Broxbourne) (Con)
I say to the Secretary of State that injecting people, not just in this country but around the world, is a huge logistical undertaking. I believe that in India nasal vaccines are used for the administration of the flu vaccine. Please can the Government bring forward nasal vaccines? We did it in nine months for an injectable vaccine—March 2020 to December 2020. It is now nearly December 2021 and there is still no nasal vaccine, despite high levels of efficacy being proven in trials.
Sajid Javid
My hon. Friend is right to raise the importance of vaccine delivery mechanisms. If there was an approved nasal vaccine delivery mechanism, it would be helpful. He will understand that we have to allow the regulators the time to assess new delivery mechanisms, but we do take this very seriously.