UK’s chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance has £600,000 of shares in vaccine maker GSK
Sir Patrick Vallance has £600,000 of shares in a pharmaceuticals giant contracted to develop a Covid vaccine for the Government, a report has revealed. The Chief Scientific Adviser, who leads the Government’s expert panel on vaccines, holds 43,111 shares in GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from his time as president of the drugs company. According to the Telegraph, accounts show Sir Patrick held 404,201 shares when he resigned in 2018 – worth £6.1 million at today’s price. He has already sold more than £5 million in shares he received during his six-year tenure with the company. GSK is one of over 20 pharmaceutical firms around the world racing to provide a vaccine for coronavirus. The manufacturer has deals with the British and US governments to supply them with jabs, subject to terms in a final contract.
Insisting that Sir Patrick should have declared his stake in the company, a senior Conservative MP and ex-Cabinet minister told The Telegraph: ‘If he is making decisions on vaccines and advising the Government on them, then he either needs to divest himself of the shares or make a declaration every time he touches on the subject.
