Covid-19 pandemic: UK drug regulator shares Covishield data with EU

The United Kingdom’s medicines regulator has shared relevant data with its counterpart in the European Union (EU) to facilitate the clearance of Covishield, the India-made version of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines, Downing Street said on Friday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that he is “very confident” of the approvals of the Oxford/ AstraZeneca jabs by the EU.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had approved the Serum Institute of India (SII) produced vaccines, but the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is yet to give its nod for the region's so-called vaccine passports for travel.

It has led to concerns that Indians vaccinated with Covishield and thousands in Britain who received the India imported jabs may face hurdles when travelling to the EU. “I am very confident that there will not prove to be a problem,” Prime Minister Johnson told reporters at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at Downing Street when asked about the issue.

Five million Covishield-branded doses were shipped from India as part of the UK’s 100-million-dose Astra-Zeneca order with SII earlier this year. On being asked about travel-related concerns, Johnson reiterated that he saw “no reason at all” why MHRA-approved vaccines should not be used for vaccine passports.

“They're the same product which has been authorised and checked for safety and quality by our MHRA,” a Downing Street spokesperson had said earlier on Friday, as it confirmed that the MHRA had shared its assessment of the vaccines with the EMA to assist the approvals process.

The European Commission, too, said it is looking at ways to agree a coordinated approach to accepting Covishield across the European Union but will need some time.

The Commission reiterated that the jab, which has been given to millions of Britons, is not yet approved by the European Medicines Agency or recognised under the EU’s new vaccine passport scheme to travel freely within the bloc from July 1. “I don't think you can say that it won’t be possible to come to the EU with this vaccine,” a spokesperson for the EU executive said.

Merkel said Germany is reviewing its restrictions and that the rules could change once the UK variant classification is lowered.