A television presenter has reminded Matt Hancock that the Covid-19 vaccine – first administered in Britain – was an international effort.
The health secretary was rebuked last week after he claimed that Britain was only able to become the first country to approve the jab because of Brexit.
He told talkRADIO: “It is absolutely clear that because we’ve left the EU, I was able to change the law so that the UK alone could make this authorisation decision.
“Because we’ve left the EU, we’ve been able to move faster yet it still be done with all of the safety checks which would have been done anyway.
“So, we’ve got a faster approval because of Brexit, which is obviously good news for everyone.”
But appearing on Good Morning Britain, presenter Susanna Reid reminded the minister it was only possible with international efforts.
She told him: “It is an international collaborative effort though, isn’t it?
MORE: The multinational make-up of the Oxford University vaccine team
“Because this is a US pharmaceutical company, the scientists behind it were Turkish immigrants to Germany, it is manufactured in Belgium, and then our regulator is the first to approve it.
“It is properly a multi-national approach.”
Hancock, nodding, accepted this was the case. He replied: “I’m really proud of the science. I’ve always believed we would get to this moment. It may have felt a long way off at times and uncertain, but I’ve always believed the science would come through.
“And as you say it’s global science essentially and working across borders and we’ve made it happen”.
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