Calls to reconsider Valneva decision
A Covid-19 vaccine developed in West Lothian but abandoned by the UK Government could beat Omicron.
Demands for the UK Government to reconsider the cancellation of Valneva’s covid vaccine have been made by West Lothian’s SNP councillors.
The opposition SNP group called on the council to write to health secretary Sajid Javid to put pressure on Westminster.
A spokesperson for Valneva said the vaccine could “potentially play a role in protecting against Omicron”, adding: “In contrast to other vaccines that target only the spike protein... VLA2001 is developed using the entire virus”.
Councillor Janet Campbell, SNP group leader, said the government’s move was “a hammer blow” to the local economy.
The vaccine is being manufactured at the French pharmaceutical firm’s Livingston plant.
The vaccine contract, awarded early on in the pandemic, was cancelled without consultation in the summer.
Livingston MP, Hannah Bardell, has tabled a question in the Commons, asking for an explanation from the Government. So far none has come.
In a motion raised before the full council, Councillor Campbell called on the local authority to “support all efforts to put pressure on the Westminster Government to reinstate the contract with Valneva.”
She told the meeting: “The sudden and completely unexpected announcement
by Sajid Javid, to cancel the contract with Valneva has been a complete shock to everyone, including the company, the workforce, the Scottish Government, the council and all elected representatives.”
The SNP motion said: “The Valneva vaccine is the only inactivated, adjuvanted whole virus vaccine against Covid-19 in clinical trials in Europe - this point was made by the UK Vaccine Taskforce when it gave its backing to Valneva in 2020.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA) approval of the vaccine will be based on the outcome of Phase 3 trials - these trials were due to end in October; the data
collected is being analysed this month with the vaccine due for approval in December. There is therefore absolutely no evidence on which Sajid Javid can state ‘the vaccine will not be approved.’”
Councillor Campbell added: “This decision is a hammer blow to the West Lothian community as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Producing this vaccine, here in Livingston will create an additional 200 positions with many highly skilled, well paid jobs supplementing the West Lothian workforce.”
However Labour’s Cathy Muldoon, who is the executive councillor for development and transport, said the situation was ongoing and the council should not interfere in what was “a complex issue which covers a number of commercially sensitive matters”.
In an amendment from Labour, Councillor Muldoon said: “Council recognises and welcomes the 170 existing high-value jobs created by Valneva in West Lothian.
“The cancellation of the vaccine supply contract is currently subject to on-going discussion between Valneva and the UK Government.
“This is a complex issue, which covers a number of commercially sensitive matters.”