The health minister’s representative in the House of Commons has confirmed that COVID-19 vaccines were approved without evidence they prevent transmission.

“At the time of initial authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer-BioNTech, in December 2020, there was no reported evidence on the efficacy of the authorized COVID-19 vaccine to prevent asymptomatic infection, to reduce viral shedding, or to prevent transmission,” Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi said in the House on March 22.

Mr. Naqvi, who serves as parliamentary secretary to Health Minister Mark Holland, was providing a response to formal questions from Tory MP Colin Carrie filed in an order paper.