To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help evaluate future effectiveness of prophylactic covid-19 treatments.

RAPID C-19 has enabled active multi-agency oversight of national and international trial evidence for COVID-19 therapies for potential treatment and prophylactic indications. To date, evidence has strongly supported treatment use, although emerging evidence on prophylactic use is continuing to be reviewed.

We are monitoring a range of treatment products through the Protect-V study, including sotrovimab and niclosamide, as administered over a six-month period in vulnerable renal and immunosuppressed patients, to assess their effectiveness and suitability. Where material evidence is identified, the formation and implementation of United Kingdom-wide clinical access policies will follow as previously for other treatments.