Former Covid vaccine tsar warns UK ‘dismantling’ systems for fighting future pandemics

Britain losing leadership position and falling behind EU on preparedness for outbreaks, says Kate Bingham

Britain’s former coronavirus vaccines tsar has accused the government of “dismantling” the systems she put in place to defend the country against future pandemics.

Dame Kate Bingham warned that the UK has “lost its leadership” on vaccine research, development, manufacturing and procurement, and is now trailing behind the European Union in preparedness for a new outbreak.

She warned the government’s plan to join the Pacific-region CPTPP trade bloc could be “catastrophic” for UK vaccine production because it would involve signing up to a different intellectual property regime from the EU.