DA, FDA boost collab on ASF, bird flu vaccines oversight

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FD) are strengthening their collaboration on the regulation and rollout of vaccines for Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever.

In a news release on Saturday, the DA said officials of its attached agency, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and FDA, met on May 19 to discuss updates on ASF and AI vaccine candidates as part of the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect the swine and poultry sectors that are vital for food security and job creation.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Dr. Constante Palabrica and newly appointed FDA Director General Atty. Paolo Teston.

Both agencies expressed optimism for a possible commercial rollout of ASF and AI vaccines possible before the end of 2025.

The DA said some vaccines are currently undergoing field trials, while others are being reviewed by the BAI Veterinary Technical Advisory Committee (VTAC). Several vaccine candidates, meanwhile, have already been endorsed to the FDA for further evaluation and approval, it said.

The BAI will formally refer applicants to the FDA, which will then provide regulatory feedback and guidance on necessary steps.

The BAI’s National African Swine Fever Prevention and Control Program also provided updates on the rollout of the Live Attenuated ASF vaccine, including data on its usage and the number of farms vaccinated to date.

“Strengthening coordination between the DA and FDA is key to ensuring timely and effective vaccine approval. This will help maintain animal health and support the resilience of our livestock and poultry industries as we prepare for the vaccines’ commercial use. We must have regulatory systems in place that guarantee safe and effective implementation,” said Palabrica.

Online sales

The meeting also addressed concerns over illegal online sales of unregistered vaccines, according to the Agriculture Department.

The FDA, however, clarified that enforcement falls under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

To tackle this, the agencies proposed a joint policy and implementation framework involving the DA, FDA, DICT, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“To strengthen border controls, FDA agreed with the DA Office of the Secretary Chief of Staff Atty. Alvin John F. Balagbag’s proposal for joint DA-FDA inspections of processed agricultural imports. This initiative aims to prevent technical smuggling and stop the misdeclaration of unprocessed products to bypass inspections at ports of entry,” the DA said.

“This enhanced partnership between the DA and FDA underscores the vital role of vaccines in protecting animal health, supporting Filipino farmers, and ensuring the nation’s food security,” it added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News