RE: Proposed Template letter…3 Jan 2022 18:00
This is my effort for what it’s worth:
Dear Sir Chris Wormald,
I am writing this letter to express my deep concerns as to why we are not using Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) made in the UK instead of poor-quality tests made in the People’s Republic of China, the original source of this global epidemic which so far has claimed 5.4m lives.
The tests produced in the UK have secured the CE mark but have been prevented from sale since 1st November by the UK regulatory authorities imposing a ‘desktop review’ to which the Chinese versions purchased by the DHSC are exempt. Having submitted all the necessary documentation under the CDTA regulations by 1st September and paid the administration fee, only 14 products have been approved (5 from Turkey, 4 USA, 2 Germany 3, 3 UK) and they are all PCR tests. None are LFTs and the review process which should take 20 days has now passed the 120 day mark!
Why has the government spent £bns on LFTs from China when it could have supported the UK diagnostic industry? How much have we spent on Chinese tests such as the one branded as Innova which the FDA insisted should be withdrawn from the market and any stocks be put in the ‘garbage’?
Why has the DHSC / UKHSA allowed Porton Down to impose UK regulations using frozen covid samples which benefit less sensitive Chinese tests which detect the N protein and by so doing eliminate the more advanced LFT which detects the S protein produced by Avacta, a UK company with diagnostic and therapeutic divisions with breakthrough cancer treatments currently in clinical trials? No one I know has a frozen nose!
Why was Omega Diagnostics given a £360m contract and loaned equipment by the government but for it never to be enacted? Was it right that the necessary staff were recruited, trained and then made redundant?
And why is Abingdon Health owed £6m by the DHSC for goods supplied but not paid for?
The Prime Minister’s promises of a ‘Moonshot’, ‘Working night and day to build a UK diagnostics industry’ and ‘Build back Better’ have all failed to materialise.
The British government surely should give priority to our industries in the UK to help our economy, create jobs and support our science base.
Bearing in mind that Mr Ken McCallum, the head of MI5 only recently warned against the big challenges presented by China, I appeal to you to change government policy so that in future it ‘Buys British’ to protect our economic independence and ability to identify biohazards.
Yours sincerely
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