Yahoo Finance Jonathan Van-Tam joins Covid vaccine maker Moderna
One of the architects of Britain’s pandemic response has taken a role advising Covid vaccine maker Moderna.
Prof Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, England’s former deputy chief medical officer, joined the US pharmaceutical giant as senior medical consultant in May.
The part-time advisory role is part of Prof Van-Tan’s “portfolio-based career” which includes remaining at the University of Nottingham as a senior strategy adviser in medicine.
The appointment came 14 months after Prof Van-Tam resigned from Whitehall in March 2022, after nearly five years in the Government role.
The advisory position is in accordance with Government rules on outside appointments accepted by former Department of Health and Social Care senior staff, according to Moderna.
Public filings show that the Government has restricted Prof Van-Tam from lobbying the Department of Health and Social Care or its executive agencies or participating in procurement bids relating to the health ministry until after March 2024.
He is also prohibited from using privileged information from his time in government to further business interests, as first reported by the Financial Times.
Prof Van-Tan initially reported to Moderna’s chief medical officer Dr Paul Burton, before his departure to biotechnology group Amgen in June.
Dr Burton said at the time of the appointment: “Professor Van-Tam’s significant experience and expertise as a specialist in influenza, including its epidemiology, transmission, vaccinology and pandemic preparedness, as well as a globally renowned academic and educator, will be a vital asset to Moderna as we work to improve population health security.”
Prof Van-Tan, affectionately nicknamed as “JVT”, became one of the nation’s most familiar faces during the pandemic following his regular appearances at Downing Street conferences.
As former deputy chief medical officer, he would often take to the podium next to Boris Johnson and Prof Sir Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England.
His tendency to use sporting analogies to provide updates about the Covid-19 virus and vaccines also earned him the nickname “Mr Metaphor”.
Both Prof Van-Tan and Prof Whitty were subsequently awarded knighthoods for their services to public health in 2021.
Prof Van-Tan later told The Telegraph that the role initially demanded 16 hour days and compared it to “being on a warfront for two years”.
He said at the time: “I’ve struggled transitioning away from that and getting used to ordinary university life again.”
