DOST: Pinoy participants for COVID-19 vaccine trials will receive standard compensation

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will set a standard compensation rate for Filipinos who will participate in the clinical trials for possible anti-COVID-19 vaccines, Secretary Fortunato dela Peña of Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Friday.

Dela Peña made the announcement a day after he disclosed that clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine will be conducted in Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Cebu, and that priority will be given to the World Health Organization's Solidarity Trial, which may involve 1,000 volunteers from barangays with a high number of infections.

“There will be a compensation para sa araw na hindi sila makakapagtrabaho [dahil bibigyan sila ng bakuna]. Two doses kasi iyon,” dela Peña said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

“May kasama rin meal allowance… kung babiyahe pa sila, may transportation allowance. The IATF approved that there should be a harmonized amount,” he added.

The exact amount, dela Peña said, has yet to be discussed.

“There is no amount yet, because this will be discussed and approved by the IATF and our Ethics Research Board,” he said.

The Philippines has recorded 248,947 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number 186,058 recovered, while 4.096 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is a 58,823. --KBK, GMA News