Virologist brands it a 'mystery' EMA 'does not recognise' AZ jab

2 July 2021, 17:42

Virologist brands it a 'mystery' EMA 'does not recognise' India-made AZ jab

By Tim Dodd

Cambridge University Virologist Dr Chris Smith says it's a 'mystery' why the Astrazeneca vaccine, made to an identical specification in India, shouldn't be accepted by the European Medicines Agency.

The conversation comes as The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said it does not recognise a version of the vaccine produced by Covishield at the Serum Institute of India (SII).

This means British holidaymakers may potentially be banned from visiting Europe under its EU Digital Covid Certificate as only vaccines approved by the EMA are included.

Tom Swarbrick began by asking: "Why would certain nations or states be worried about a vaccine that has been injected into people in this country? What about the makeup of the vaccine is worrying people?"

"Unclear," replied Mr Smith.

"The way in which this is being made, it should be being made to a standard, and assessed to a standard, that's what quality control and quality assurance is all about.

READ MORE: What is the EU Digital Covid Certificate and can I get one?

"And India's Serum Institute have been vaccinating the world for a really long time, so it's something of a mystery to me why a vaccine made to identical specification in one place, shouldn't be accepted onto the list.

"Maybe it's an oversight, I'm not sure. I hope they rectify it soon because a lot of people are receiving that vaccine and it's going to impact on lots of people."

Caller says there should be early-release tests for NHS app 'pings'

READ MORE: Boris Johnson to meet Angela Merkel for talks on Covid travel rules

READ MORE: Boris Johnson says he wants life to return to ‘as close to it was before Covid’

As many as five million doses of the affected batches have been administered in the UK to date. The Serum Institute of India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced, and it is estimated that around 65% of the world's children have received at least one vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute.

The EU Digital Covid Certificate allows those who are fully vaccinated to move across borders within the EU.

Currently, the EMA-approved vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs manufactured in the UK or Europe.

More Tom Swarbrick

See more More Tom Swarbrick

'It's fanaticism, it has to be stopped'

Israel's strikes on Iran divide opinion with LBC callers

Caller forced to apologise over false claims about Muslims

LBC caller forced to apologise over false claims about Muslims

Brits flock to Dubai to avoid tax hikes, but are they 'forgoing their British values'?

Brits flock to Dubai to avoid tax hikes, but are they 'forgoing their British values'?

ULEZ

Dwayne refuses to fight for Britain because he's sick of ULEZ

'I wouldn't mind being an LBC presenter'

Tom Swarbrick ‘offers’ caller Lee a job

Should Lucy Connolly be freed early?

Should Lucy Connolly be let out of prison early? LBC callers deliver their verdict

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

Trade deals, conclave and Reform UK: LBC’s best callers of the week

LBC callers react to Trump's trade deal

LBC callers react to Donald Trump's UK trade deal

Eric

Caller Eric brands it 'disgusting' that woman got £30k compensation for being compared to Darth Vader

Caller can’t get a dentist appointment and blames asylum seekers

LBC caller can’t get a dentist appointment and blames asylum seekers

'we can hit net zero by accident'

Kneecap, Reform's 'turquoise tidal wave' and never leaving the UK | LBC's best callers of the week

Oliver

Ex-army caller says Chris Kaba's murder has been made 'political'

Caller Lee believes the treatment of Kneecap is 'two-tier policing'

Caller Lee believes the treatment of Kneecap is 'two-tier policing'

Scientist behind 'alien planet' discovery takes questions from LBC callers

Scientist behind 'alien planet' discovery takes questions from LBC callers

Exclusive
Yevgeny Popov

Russian MP tells LBC Starmer ‘doesn’t want peace’ and says Putin won’t rule out launching another war

It's time to Make Broccoli Great Again

It's time to Make Broccoli Great Again