Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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263. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the introduction of ethically-produced vaccines to Ireland that are developed without the use of foetal cell lines; the efforts being made to introduce such vaccines to allow those who have a conscientious objection to the use of vaccines which have been developed using foetal cell lines; the status of a vaccine (details supplied) which has been ethically produced being approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26035/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is participating in an EU Procurement process with a view to accessing a portfolio of candidate vaccines against COVID-19 which are being negotiated with vaccine manufacturers by the Commission acting on behalf of Member States. Emergency Support Instrument (ESI) funding has been leveraged by the Commission to facilitate its negotiations with vaccine manufacturers, including with regard to production costs and securing a reduced per dose cost for Member States.

This process has provided Ireland with access to vaccines (at a reduced cost) that it would find it difficult to access otherwise within a year after the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. Four of the vaccines in the EU portfolio have already been awarded Conditional Marketing Authorisation (CMA) by the Commission.

Ireland supports efforts made by the Commission to safeguard the production and delivery of doses of vaccine in the quantities agreed with vaccine suppliers and to ensure that up-front funding provided through ESI has been properly used.

Covid 19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. No vaccine will be used until Market authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is obtained and any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Product Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

The delivery of vaccines under APAs that the Commission has negotiated on behalf of Member States are predicated upon a CMA being obtained from the Commission (on the basis of a positive recommendation being awarded by the EMA).

The awarding of a CMA provides a high level of assurance that a vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and has met the requirements of the independent regulatory process as regards demonstrating its quality, safety and efficacy.

Ireland has opted into an APA with CureVac and the EMA has started a rolling review of the CureVac COVID-19 Vaccine but it has not been awarded a CMA to date.

For more information on COVID-19 Vaccines in development, please see the EMA website for more information:

www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory/overview/public-health-threats/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/treatments-vaccines-covid-19