IATF approves Philippine participation in COVID-19 vaccine trials

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST's) recommendation that the Philippines participate in the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines.

The approval was contained in IATF Resolution No. 39, series of 2020, dated May 22, 2020. The Palace released copies of the resolution on Saturday.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier announced that the Philippines received an invitation from China to participate in a global clinical trial for a possible COVID-19 vaccine.

The IATF resolution detailed that the collaborating organizations for the clinical trials were the following:

• Adimmune Corporation
• Acedemia Sinica
• Chinese Academy of Science - Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health
• SinoPharma - Wuhan Institute of Biological Products and Beijing Institute

The collaborating organizations, the IATF said, would be provided with the following:

• World Health Organization requirements for COVID-19 vaccine target product profiles
• Pre-qualification process for WHO approvals
• Philippine Food and Drug Administration to update guidelines on clinical trials. The FDA is directed to advise on the process to facilitate the issuance of permits for the conduct of clinical trials in the Philippines.

The study sites will be identified together with the researchers that will be involved in the clinical trials and once the clinical trials are finished, these will form part of the requirements for the vaccine registration process by the FDA for the issuance of Certificate of Product Registration for market release in the Philippines, the resolution read.

A sub-technical working group chaired by the DOST and membership shall be determined by the chair, is also formed, and directed to coordinate with the Department of Health, FDA, Research Institute of Tropical Medicine, and the WHO for matters involving clinical trials.

The IATF also said it supported the plans of the DOST to establish the Virology S&T Institute in New Clark City and the reactivation of the Pharmaceutical Development Unit at the DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute as a “Tuklas Lunas” center for pharmaceutical development. — DVM, GMA News