Question reference: S5W-31860
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 16 September 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government consultation on changes to the Human Medicine Regulations to support the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, and whether it will publish any representation it has made to the Department of Health and Social Care on this matter.
Answer
Licensing of medicines, as set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, is reserved to the UK Government. It would be preferable if any medicine that was to be deployed for use was subject to full licensing. However, the Scottish Government makes decisions on immunisations informed by the independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations. If their recommendation was that any vaccine was safe and effective, it is important UK legislation allows for it to be deployed as quickly as possible.
The proposed changes include provision for a wider range of persons to be permitted to administer some vaccines, to be set out via a protocol to be approved by Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government welcomes these proposals which offer scope to support both the expansion of the seasonal flu vaccination programme and delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine, in the event that a safe and effective vaccine is found.
The Scottish Government officials have liaised with their UK Government counterparts to seek information about the proposed changes.