Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025

Britain Urged to Develop Vaccine Manufacturing Infrastructure as Essential Pandemic Preparedness

Britain Urged to Develop Vaccine Manufacturing Infrastructure as Essential Pandemic Preparedness

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock advocates for domestic vaccine production capability after Covid-19 exposed international supply vulnerabilities.
The United Kingdom must prioritize establishing its own vaccine manufacturing capability as a crucial component of preparing for future pandemics, according to Matt Hancock, the country’s former health secretary.

Speaking at the Covid-19 public inquiry, Hancock emphasized the necessity for a sovereign, domestic production facility to ensure timely vaccine availability upon regulatory approval.

Hancock, who played a pivotal role in managing Britain’s response to the Covid-19 crisis, underscored that while the UK’s vaccine research is commendable, its manufacturing infrastructure lacks the capacity to produce the required doses at a large scale.

His testimony, provided under questioning by Hugo Keith KC, highlighted a previous assumption within the UK that the geographical location of vaccine manufacturing and the fill and finish processes was inconsequential in peacetime contexts.

However, the pandemic illustrated that this assumption was flawed due to the intense global demand for vaccines once they receive regulatory clearance.

“The moment a vaccine gets signed off, there’s going to be enormous demand, and geopolitical-level demand for this, therefore having that manufacture and fill and finish onshore, physically within the UK, is critical in the way that it simply isn’t in normal times,” Hancock stated.

Addressing issues that arose during the pandemic, Hancock criticized the European Union’s approach to vaccine distribution, referencing the dispute between the UK and Brussels over the allocation of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Despite being cautioned by Keith that UK-EU relations were beyond the scope of the inquiry, Hancock insisted that understanding these challenges is essential to avoid future pitfalls.

“A whole load of our vaccines were still manufactured on the European continent and that caused us significant problems,” he added.

The Covid inquiry, led by Heather Hallett, is currently examining vaccines and therapeutics, acknowledging them as rare successes in the UK’s broader crisis management, particularly through the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and the discovery of dexamethasone’s life-saving potential.

Despite being the first nation to implement a Covid-19 vaccine rollout, the inquiry revealed that various communities, including ethnic minorities, disabled individuals, clinically vulnerable groups, migrants, and Travellers, encountered significant barriers in accessing vaccines, antivirals, and other treatments.

Challenges included limited access to information and guidance in multiple languages, as well as instances of discrimination and skepticism towards vaccine safety.

Complementing the inquiry's findings, Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, announced plans for a national pandemic-preparedness exercise.

Aimed at testing the UK's readiness for future global health crises, this extensive exercise, recommended by the Covid inquiry, will involve thousands across the UK, scheduled to take place over several days in the coming autumn.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Detained in Manila Under ICC Warrant
Mark Carney Chosen as Head of Canada's Liberal Party, Poised to Assume Role of Prime Minister
Russia Kicks Out British Diplomats in Escalated Tensions
Significant Rescue Effort in Progress Following Collision Between Tanker and Cargo Ship in the North Sea
Pope Francis Exhibits Signs of Recovery, Yet Remains Hospitalized
Report of Radioactive Coolant Leak at Europe’s Largest Nuclear Reactor
Trump Administration Launches Self-Deportation App for Undocumented Immigrants
Syria Wraps Up Military Campaign Amid Extensive Violence and Large-Scale Executions
Trump Remarks on the Arrest of a Pro-Palestinian Student at Columbia University
Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury to Resign Following Assault Conviction
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Prepares for Spring Statement Amid Economic Challenges
Home Secretary Denies Public Inquiry into Sir David Amess's Murder
UK Energy Bills to Increase by 80 Pence to Support Discounts for Households Near Pylons
Russian Teacher Under Investigation After Explicit Content Incident in Classroom
Poland Plans Comprehensive Military Training for All Adult Males Amid Enhanced Defense Initiatives
Lithuania Withdraws from Cluster Munitions Convention Amid Security Concerns
Escalating Vandalism Targets Tesla Amid Political Controversies
Former Security Adviser Cautions That UK Troop Presence in Ukraine May Last for Years
Demonstrations Break Out as Individual Ascends Big Ben Carrying Palestinian Flag
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe Suspended Amid Allegations of Violence and Bullying
Private spacecraft Athena has successfully landed close to the Moon's south pole.
Trump Administration Unveils Gold Card Visa Program Exempting Foreign Assets from U.S. Taxation
Trump Holds White House Summit for Cryptocurrency Leaders Amid Financial Scandals
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Highlights the Importance of the US in Attaining Peace
Trump Discovers Negotiating with Russia More Manageable than with Ukraine During Ongoing Conflict
Google Eliminates Women's History Month and Various Cultural Celebrations from Calendar App
Pope Francis Offers Thanks Despite Continuing Health Issues
King Charles III Reveals Curated Playlist on Apple Music in Anticipation of Commonwealth Day.
Disney's Biggest Cruise Ship Set to Debut in Singapore
Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, the former 'Baywatch' star, tragically took her own life at the age of 62.
NYPD Detective Encounters Criticism for Viral Music Video Appearance
Trinity College Dublin Honors Eavan Boland by Naming a Building After Her, Signifying a Landmark Achievement
Ex-UK Ambassador Cautions Against a Significant Change in US-UK Relations.
UK Government Confirms Prohibition on Issuing New North Sea Drilling Licences During Shift to Clean Energy
Macron Cautions Against Growing Russian Aggression as U.S. Support for Ukraine Evolves
Trump Offers Short-Term Tariff Waiver to Automakers During Trade Strains
Tesla's UK Sales Increase Despite a Wider European Decline and CEO's Political Engagement
Court Rejects Elon Musk's Request to Block OpenAI's Shift to For-Profit, Accelerates Trial Schedule
Global Scam Operation Takes Advantage of Phony Celebrity Promotions to Swindle Thousands
Assurances from Barclays Chairman Postponed Investigation into CEO's Connections with Jeffrey Epstein
Bank of England Cautions of 'Significant' Risk to UK Economy Due to US Trade Policies
Trump Emphasizes Peace Initiatives and Trade Strategies in Recent Address to Congress
US Administration Dismisses Gaza Reconstruction Plan Proposed by Arab Leaders
Historic Surge in Americans Seeking UK Citizenship Following Trump's Re-election
EU Member States Endorse Gradual Rollout of Entry/Exit System
President Trump Indicates Willingness to Restore U.S.-Ukraine Relations Following Recent Strains
Macron Calls on Europe to Bolster Defense in the Face of Russian Threats and Possible U.S. Withdrawal
Heartbreaking Passing of 20-Year-Old American Bodybuilder Sparks Health Worries
Russia Announces Finalization of Passport Distribution in Occupied Areas of Ukraine.
Macron Contemplates Joint Trip to Washington with Zelensky and the Prime Minister of the UK.
×