Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not recognised the laboratory assay tests conducted in (1) the US, and (2) the EU, on Evusheld against Omicron subvariants.
We understand that the United States of America has increased the suggested dose of Evusheld, in line with in vitro results showing that Evusheld has reduced efficacy against some Omicron subvariants. The Food and Drug Administration’s in vitro data was pseudovirus data, whereas the tests being conducted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are based on live virus data. The European Medicines Agency has acknowledged the possibility that Evusheld has reduced efficacy against Omicron subvariants, based on laboratory studies. The data generated by the UKHSA will enhance our understanding of the effectiveness of Evusheld's neutralisation of Omicron subvariants, including BA.2.