Dame Kate Bingham, the managing partner at the life sciences venture capital firm SV Health Investors, headed the UK's vaccine taskforce between May and December 2020.
The taskforce played a key role in securing the country's backing of, and access to, a wide portfolio of potential Covid jabs - a move that has been credited with putting the UK on the front foot for early deployment of vaccines during the pandemic.
But, speaking to the Commons health and social care committee about lessons learned during the pandemic, Bingham said many of the initiatives set up by the taskforce had been dismantled, while its key recommendations had not been acted upon. Among her concerns, Bingham cited the failure to create bulk antibody-manufacturing capabilities in the UK and the proposed termination of the NHS Covid vaccine research registry through which the public could volunteer for vaccine trials.
The decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to close the registry was eventually reversed after Robert Jenrick, then a health minister, stepped in. "I am baffled as to the decisions that are being made," she said.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin December 01, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin December 01, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Oil and gas Unions lobby Labour for a 'just transition' to green energy
Peace may have broken out between Labour and its union backers over workers' rights, but shadow ministers face fierce lobbying in another vital policy area: how to make the switch from fossil fuels without deep economic scarring.
Meta 'fails to stop' hateful political adverts as Modi seeks a third term
The Facebook and Instagram owner, Meta, approved a series of AI-manipulated political adverts that spread disinformation and incited religious violence during India's election, according to a report shared exclusively with the Guardian.
Trump's ex-lawyer knew payout broke election law, court is told
Michael Cohen, whose $130,000 (£102,000) hush-money payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels is at the heart of the criminal case against Donald Trump, testified yesterday that he knew the payment violated federal campaign contribution limits.
Critical moment Raisi's death puts election process into the spotlight
The sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi means the Iranian regime unexpectedly finds itself faced with having to hold elections to appoint a successor.
Woman found guilty of killing nine-month-old girl at Stockport nursery
A \"callous\" nursery worker is facing years in jail after being convicted of killing a nine-month-old girl who died after being strapped face down to a beanbag for more than 90 minutes.
Judges grant Assange leave to mount fresh appeal against extradition to US
Julian Assange has been granted leave to mount a fresh appeal against his extradition to the US on charges of leaking military secrets and will be able to challenge assurances from American officials on how a trial there would be conducted.
Eagles change flight paths to avoid Ukraine war zones
Eagles that have migratory routes through Ukraine have shifted their flight paths to avoid areas affected by the conflict, researchers have found.
The battle for the truth Who fought for victims and who failed them?
Successive governments are primarily to blame for the catalogue of \"systemic, collective and individual failures\" that allowed the infected blood scandal to happen, though \"others share some of it\", wrote Sir Brian Langstaff.
Sunak apology for 'decades-long moral failure' of British state
Rishi Sunak declared yesterday a \"day of shame for the British state\" as he apologised for the failures of successive governments over the infected blood scandal and promised to pay whatever it takes to compensate the victims.
Langstaff's key findings What report says about 'a level of suffering that's difficult to comprehend'
A day of reckoning has arrived, more than 50 years since the first victims received infected blood. Here are the main points covered in the UK public inquiry’s final report.
