London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK would not have greenlighted French Valneva Covid vaccine, health secretary says after contract canceled

UK would not have greenlighted French Valneva Covid vaccine, health secretary says after contract canceled

Britain cancelled its contract for some 100 million vaccines made by French biotech company Valneva in part because it became apparent the jab would not have been greenlighted for use, the UK’s health secretary has revealed.
Speaking to a Scottish lawmaker on Tuesday, Sajid Javid provided more information on why London scrapped its deal with Valneva. “There are commercial reasons that we have cancelled the contract but… it was also clear to us that the vaccine in question that the company was developing would not get approval by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) here in the UK,” the health secretary said.

Valneva issued a statement on Monday announcing that its agreement with Britain, which could have been worth up to €1.4 billion ($1.65 billion), had been binned. The French vaccine maker stated that London had “alleged that the Company is in breach of its obligations under the Supply Agreement”. Valneva, however, “strenuously” denies this.

The vaccine candidate, VLA2001, which uses inactivated virus particles, is currently undergoing phase-three clinical trials with Public Health England. Javid said that the British government is working with its Scottish counterpart to find a way to secure the future of its plant in Scotland.

Britain had ordered up to 100 million vaccines of the French firm’s jab for supply in 2021 and 2022, with the option to receive a further 90 million doses through to 2025 under the agreement.

So far, the UK has approved only four Covid vaccines, including Oxford-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, as well as mRNA jabs made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Over 89% of the UK’s eligible population aged 16 and over have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 81% of Britons are double-jabbed, according to government statistics.
Comments

Mike 4 year ago
Why is this being misreported, considering its now known that Sajid was WRONG and LIED? The truth is nobody knows yet and Sajid says he meant to day that it is 'not yet approved' and NOT that it 'woupdnt be approved' ! A HUGE difference.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×