MPs to study $300M Liberal government paid to now-shuttered COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer – CBC

Government ‘did the responsible thing,’ health minister says

Nov 08, 2023

MPs on the House of Commons health committee voted Wednesday to launch a study into the more than $300 million the Liberal government paid to a now-shuttered Quebec-based pharmaceutical company whose COVID-19 vaccine never made it to market.

Conservative MP Stephen Ellis brought forward the motion calling for the study after reporting by the National Post revealed last week that the government paid $150 million to Medicago in the form of a “non-refundable” advanced purchase agreement.

The Liberal government signed that agreement in October 2020 to secure up to 76 million doses of a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine it was developing.

The government also provided Medicago with an additional $173 million for research and development and for the construction of the company’s Quebec City manufacturing facility.

The vaccine never made it to market and Medicago was shuttered earlier this year.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mps-health-committee-vote-study-medicago-1.7022894