5Future developments in flu vaccination
71.We heard about the activity of the JCVI, providing advice to UK departments of health on the emerging evidence on vaccination. Professor Pollard reported that the UK was a global leader with regards to vaccine decision-making and responding to evidence.91 He also told us that the JCVI “is looking all the time at the new available evidence on trials of vaccines, to see what may be most appropriate for our population”.92
A universal flu vaccine?
72.We heard that there was a lot of work going on internationally looking at the development of a universal flu vaccine, but witnesses reported that this work was a long way from producing a clinical product. Professor Van-Tam set out the multiple questions which remained in relation to a universal vaccine:
There are many scientific questions remaining, for example, whether universal really means universal in terms of the very wide coverage of influenza viruses. Also, how long would a universal influenza vaccine last for? Would it still need to be given annually or once every two years or once every five years? That is also not known. Certain of the immunological approaches mean that some of the vaccines may prevent severe illness but may not prevent infection, and that would need to be looked at carefully in the round in terms of what the supposed universal influenza vaccine actually did. There are a number of these big, key scientific questions, but I do not think there is enough clarity in the answers to give us an adequate steer at this stage as to how close we are to a real live product that we could employ usefully in clinical practice.93
73.SEEK group, a company involved with research and development into medicinal products,94 told us about its development of a universal flu vaccine candidate. It explained that the vaccine “is currently close to readiness for Phase III [trials] in Europe and the US”.95 The company called on the Government “to support the work taking place in the UK on finding a solution to delivering the first Universal Flu Vaccine to the world”.96
Leaving the European Union
74.Witnesses told the Committee that they were confident that information sharing on flu would not be significantly affected by the UK leaving the European Union. This work was undertaken through international World Health Organization networks which took little account of EU or other international borders.97
75.However, Professor Pollard raised concerns regarding medicines and vaccination regulation after the UK leaves the European Union:
The one worry I have is around the European Medicines Agency. Our regulator’s role in that agency has been incredibly important. I do not know what that is going to look like after Brexit, but if we were isolated from European regulation, and the huge resource there is across Europe to support the licensure of vaccines—not just for flu but across all of them—and we had to do it all ourselves, I think that would be a real problem for the UK.
76.We note the important role of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in keeping emerging evidence on vaccines under review and in providing advice. We urge the Government to take account of the future relationship with the European Medicines Agency and the impact this could have on flu vaccination in the UK as part of preparations for the UK leaving the European Union. The Government should set out in response to this Report how this relationship might be maintained in various outcomes of the Brexit negotiations.
77.We call on the Government to ensure that it continues to support and invest in the development of important new medical products, including new and more effective vaccines.
Published: 18 October 2018