A coronavirus vaccine could be available to Filipinos by the second quarter of 2021, a Science and Technology Department official said on Wednesday.
Rowena Guevara, the chair of the Sub-Technical Working Group on Vaccine Development and DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development.
“If we are talking about the availability en masse, we believe this is going to be happening in the second quarter of next year.”
She has added a clinical trial on a COVID-19 vaccine which is scheduled to begin in later 2020. The Philippines is in negotiations with Russia, and at least 16 other producers of vaccines.
Complete Records Are Still Waiting
The country’s expert vaccine panel said they have not yet received the complete records from Russia. The requirement for the Food and Drug Administration to approve holding the clinical trial for “Sputnik-V” in the country.
Dr. Nina Gloriani said the Moscow-based manufacturers have only submitted a synopsis on its research.
The FDA said that it would not authorize a Phase 3 clinical trial to be performed in the Philippines. It was because the regulatory and ethics board has not fully checked the Phases 1 and 2 documentation to ensure that the vaccine is safe.
On Tuesday the World Health Organization urged countries not to wait idly for a coronavirus vaccine. WHO Western Pacific Regional Director Dr. Takeshi Kasai said that countries should concentrate on improving their response to COVID-19, as vaccine supplies might not be adequate during initial production.
Meanwhile, DOST said it doesn’t have a Philippine testing facility to grow its own COVID-19 vaccine. It was adding a big investment.
But Guevara said they are working on the country’s establishment of a virology institute. In addition, DOST already has funded for research and development. It is going to happen next year.
Malacañang said earlier that President Rodrigo Duterte is reviewing the proposal to create a Philippine Virology Science and Technology Institute. It aims to serve as the country’s premier research institute for virology. And then, diseases to promote the development of local vaccines.
The government is also starting discussions on public-private partnerships for the local production of vaccines known as “fill and finish” after Russia presented the option.
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