Freedom of Information request on the conditions of which the COVID-19 vaccination programme may be stopped (FOI 22/411)
Published 31 May 2022
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FOI 22/411
21st February 2022
Dear
Thank you of your email dated 21st January 2022, where you requested information regarding the conditions of which the COVID-19 vaccination programme may be stopped.
Please note the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination programme does not fall within the remit of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be better placed to accommodate your request.
The MHRA’s role is to continually monitor safety during widespread use of a vaccine. We have in place a proactive strategy to do this. We also work closely with our public health partners in reviewing the effectiveness and impact of the vaccines to ensure the benefits continue to outweigh any possible side effects.
Part of our monitoring role includes reviewing reports of suspected side effects. Any member of the public or health professional can submit suspected side effects through the Yellow Card scheme. The nature of Yellow Card reporting means that reported events are not always proven side effects. Some events may have happened anyway, regardless of vaccination. This is particularly the case when millions of people are vaccinated (over 130 million COVID-19 vaccines have been given in the UK alone to date), including to elderly people and people who have underlying illness. We regularly review safety information from the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers and are in regular contact with other regulators across the world to exchange safety data on the COVID-19 vaccines. This is considered in our assessments alongside the UK data.
Information about our analysis of safety data regarding COVID-19 vaccines is published in our weekly summary of COVID-19 vaccine Yellow Card reports which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions/coronavirus-vaccine-summary-of-yellow-card-reporting.
Please be assured that the MHRA continues to closely monitor the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK.
I hope the information provided is helpful, but if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of this response; and can be addressed to this email address.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team,
Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Division