Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of fast-tracked approaches to vaccine development for covid-19; and what lessons can be learned from those approaches for the development of vaccines against (a) HIV/AIDS, (b) tuberculosis and (c) other global health challenges.

We are very encouraged by the progress of fast-tracked approaches to vaccine development for COVID-19. Several vaccine candidates have demonstrated very promising results in clinical trials, with one recently approved for use in the UK (Pfizer/BioNTech). Interim results for another candidate, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, are also very encouraging and this vaccine is part of a portfolio of candidates funded by the UK-backed Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). We will need multiple safe and effective vaccines to control the pandemic in a range of populations and settings. CEPI is playing a vital role in enabling global access to successful vaccine candidates, especially in poorer countries.

Vaccine research for many global health challenges, including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, is expensive, complex and high risk. The encouraging results on COVID-19 vaccines demonstrate the importance of international collaboration and having trials in multiple settings. It also highlights the need to address manufacturing capacity, accessibility and affordability at the same time as development of the vaccine, to ensure rapid access for poorer countries. The UK has been clear in its commitment to international collaboration in development and access to COVID-19 vaccines, as demonstrated by our significant financial commitments to CEPI and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance which are both under the COVAX facility.