Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role the cost of medication plays in the Government's decision to procure (a) Evusheld, (b) Beblitovimab and (c) other drugs.

COVID-19 treatments must be effective against the variants currently circulating in the United Kingdom and receive marketing authorisation prior to procurement. While Evusheld was granted conditional marketing authorisation in March 2022, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency raised uncertainty over the dose needed for protection against the Omicron variant. The UK Health Security Agency is currently undertaking further testing on Evusheld’s efficacy against the Omicron variant. The data for Bebtelovimab shows efficacy against the currently circulating Omicron variants, although the treatment has not received marketing authorisation in the UK.

There is currently no funding allocated for these treatments. However, funding for additional procurement of novel treatments is considered on a case-by-case basis, as guided by clinical need and subject to business cases and due process.