All vaccines the government is set to procure for its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) immunization program will be thoroughly vetted and examined before they are approved for use in the Philippines, using standards adopted in other countries.
This was the assurance given by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who in a television interview shared the process involved in granting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines.
“All vaccines, including Sinovac, will pass through the VEP, then the FDA; and then the FDA will take a look at all these clinical studies, and all of the data possessed by the pharma companies.”
According to Nograles, “before any vaccine gets the approval of the FDA, there is still a Vaccine Expert Panel (DOST-VEP) that will study all of the data.”
The COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Co-Chairman pointed out that this includes clinical trial data from other countries.
The Palace official stressed that all vaccines, including Sinovac, “will pass through the VEP, then the FDA; and then the FDA will take a look at all these clinical studies, and all of the data possessed by the pharma companies.”
On top of adopting the same standards with regard to the issuance of EUAs applied all around the world, the FDA has also required Sinovac and other pharmaceutical companies to submit EUAs from other countries.
In the Philippines, EUAs have already been issued to Pfizer and Astra Zeneca. Sinovac and Gamaleya are currently applying for EUAs.
The vaccines will be closely monitored by the government through its Adverse Effect Following Immunization Committee to make sure that they are safe and effective.
Aside from applying for a EUA in the Philippines, Sinovac is also applying for EUAs in Singapore, Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt, all of which have pre-ordered from the Chinese pharmaceutical company.
Once vaccines are issued EUAs and distributed, explained Nograles, the vaccines will be closely monitored by the government through its Adverse Effect Following Immunization Committee to make sure that they are safe and effective.