FDA says Sinovac will have ‘big problem’ if they try bribery in Philippines

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday warned that Chinese firm Sinovac will not get Philippine approval for its COVID-19 vaccine if it resorts to corruption.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said the agency will be "very objective" in evaluating Sinovac's application and will rely only on scientific data and evidence the company will submit.

"Dito po sa Pilipinas ay 'wag po nilang susubukang manuhol dahil magkakaproblema po sila, at sila po ay lalong hindi ma-aapprove," Domingo said at the Laging Handa briefing.

American newspaper The Washington Post reported that Sinovac’s founder and chief executive Yin Weidong—in a 2016 court testimony—admitted to bribing regulatory authorities in China to the tune of $83,000 from 2002 to 2011 to fast track the approval of its vaccines

Sinovac has already secured the approval of the Vaccine Experts Panel (VEP) under the Department of Science and Technology but still has to be approved by the Ethics Board and the FDA before their vaccines can be administered in the Philippines.

"We will treat the company as a company that's legitimately doing business, but of course once they try something, sila na po ang mananagot, at magkakaproblema po sila ng malaki," Domingo said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the VEP, the Ethics Board, and the FDA will look into reports alleging irregularity in Sinovac's operations.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, for his part, said Thursday the DOST depended on the data provided by Sinovac in evaluating its COVID-19 vaccine product. — RSJ, GMA News