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The UK set up its Vaccine Taskforce under the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in May 2020; the chair is Kate Bingham**, who authored the Lancet article (27 October).
“The Vaccine Taskforce aims to ensure that the UK population has access to vaccines as soon as possible, while working with partners to support equitable access for populations worldwide, whether rich or poor.”
Ms Bingham notes that we may never have a vaccine, and that if and when we do, the first generation of vaccines may be imperfect and “we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long.”
The Taskforce has focused on building a “diverse” portfolio of vaccines across the various technology platforms “recognising that many, and possibly all, of these vaccines could fail.”
“The Vaccine Taskforce has now secured access to six vaccines (from more than 240 vaccines in development) across four different formats: adenoviral vectors, mRNA, adjuvanted proteins, and whole inactivated viral vaccines, which are promising in different ways.”
International SOS Comment
Ms Bingham gives no clinical or technical evidence evidence to support her statement that “the first vaccines may be imperfect”. Rather this is a warning not to be over optimistic.
**Kate Bingham is a Managing Partner at SV Health Investors.
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