To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the US Administration's decision to purchase global supplies of Remdesivir for the treatment of patients with covid-19, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with his international counterparts on the need for global co-operation in tackling the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered on
13 July 2020
The Coronavirus outbreak is the biggest public health emergency in a generation, and needs a strong and coordinated global health response. Remdesivir has been used in the NHS for some time as part of clinical trials, and as part of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme to get COVID-19 treatments to patients who need them. The NHS has sufficient stock of Remdesivir for patients who need it. Gilead has also signed non-exclusive voluntary licencing agreements with generic pharmaceutical manufacturers in Egypt, India and Pakistan, ensuring supply of Remdesivir for 127 low-and middle-income countries.
The UK Government is working closely with our international partners, including the United States, to deliver a robust global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Ministers and diplomatic network continue to galvanise international support and financial commitments to support research, development and equitable access to vaccines, including through the G7, G20 and other international fora.