DOST exec: Govt to buy AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine too after purchase by private sector

The private sector’s purchase of more than two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine developed by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University will be followed by purchase by the Philippine government, an official from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Friday.

Dr. Jaime Montoya of the DOST's Philippine Council for Health Research and Development was referring to the agreement between AstraZeneca, the private sector, and the Philippine government for two million COVID-19 vaccine doses expected to be signed on Friday afternoon.

“Initial [purchase] lang po ito, in the next few days, we expect to sign those (vaccine deals) funded by the government and maybe the private sector also, ” Montoya said in an online briefing.

“Itong tripartite agreement, funded by the private sector and we appreciate their support. Iba pa po ito sa provided ng Philippine government. In the next few days, expected to be signed iyong galing sa Philippine government and maybe also sa private sector so as to ensure a reliable and early supply of vaccine in the country,” Montoya added.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion earlier said the private sector is seeking to buy 2.5 million to 3 million of AstraZeneca's vaccine,

AstraZeneca-Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine has been found 70% effective against COVID-19 at first half dose, but it increases to 90% after the second full dose is administered a month after the first dose.

Likewise, AstraZeneca’s price range is cheaper at $3 to $4 compared with American firms Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which also has COVID-19 vaccines that have over 90% effectivity but cost more due to the requirement of an ultra cold storage.

AstraZeneca, however, has admitted that the initial results of its COVID-19 candidate vaccine still needs to be evaluated following concerns raised by experts that it had to reduce its first dose to half since administering two doses in full only resulted in 62% efficacy.

Likewise, AstraZeneca's human trials in the United Kingdom did not include participants aged 56 years old and above, considered a vulnerable sector of the populations alongside health workers.

AstraZeneca is also bidding to conduct clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines.

Montoya and Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire, for her part, said it is too early to say if initial concerns on the results of AstraZeneca's clinical trials in the United Kingdom will affect its bid to conduct clinical trials in the Philippines.

"We have no way of verifying them (concerns) until they submit their documents to us for evaluation of our VEP," Montoya said.

"We are in negotiations with them so it is only right and responsible for us to wait for them to provide information to us," Vergeire added.

Vaccine czar and Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said that the Philippine government is eyeing to ink around four COVID-19 vaccine supply deals with manufacturers from the United States, United Kingdom, and China within this month.

The Philippines has already recorded 424,297 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 387,266 recovered while 8,242 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 28,789. -MDM, GMA News