‘What a Small Corrupt World’: Moderna Hires UK Official Who Negotiated COVID Vaccine Contracts

The U.K.’s former Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam — who during the COVID-19 pandemic became a household name in the U.K. due to his public briefings on the progress of the virus — recently joined COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna as a senior medical consultant.

Known as “JVT,” Van-Tam was knighted for his public service as a member of the U.K. government’s vaccine taskforce, which made decisions on supply contracts for COVID-19 vaccines and investments in vaccine manufacturing.

For political commentator Russell Brand, this is evidence of a corrupt “revolving door” between governments and Big Pharma that enriches a few at taxpayers’ expense.