Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding has been allocated to research on the effectiveness of the (a) Pfizer/Biontech vaccine and (b) AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine for immuno-suppressed people; and which organisations have received funding to conduct that research.
UK Research and Innovation is providing around £2 million towards the Immunity programme, as part of the National Core Studies, to support research on vaccine responses in groups of immune-supressed individuals, including those with inflammatory disorders, high risk cancer patient groups, and patients with severe kidney and liver disease.
Public Health England will be monitoring vaccine effectiveness to examine how it varies by subgroup such as by age or clinical risk groups including immunosuppression. Evidence will be generated through routine data sources, including routine testing data and GP electronic health records, as well as through enhanced surveillance.