DOH: Confidentiality deal with Pfizer did not include vaccine supply

The Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA) that the Philippine government entered with American firm Pfizer for COVID-19 vaccine procurement did not include vaccine supply, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

Vergeire was responding to a question regarding comments made by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin, Jr. and Senator Panfilo Lacson that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s alleged late action on the CDA with Pfizer cost the Philippines early access to Pfizer's vaccine.

“Iyong pag-uusap sa CDA, initial negotiation iyon between the government and Pfizer para makita natin ang mga dokumento at mapag-aralan natin ang profile nila. Wala pa sa stage na  magkakaroon tayo ng ganitong doses by this time,” Vergeire said in an interview on Unang Balita.

“Pinag-uusapan [roon sa CDA] kung paano nila maibibigay ang impormasyon nila para mapag-aralan ng Philippine government,” she added.

Vergeire insisted that the DOH took action in securing CDA with Pfizer in a timely and prudent manner.

“Before we can sign it, pinag-aaralan ito ng mga abogado. At hindi lang DOH ang kausap rito, andiyan rin ang Department of Science and Technology at Office of the Executive Secretary. We were are able to process it according to the processes of government,” Vergeire said.

Duque earlier said that the DOH, after reviews from its legal team, signed the CDA in October, and that negotiations on securing vaccine supply from Pfizer is still ongoing.

Asked if the CDA with Pfizer was signed on the time it was supposed to be signed, Vergeire replied yes.

Malacañang has said that President Rodrigo Duterte sees "no major lapse" on the part of Duque in connection with negotiations with Pfizer.

The vaccine developed by Pfizer with BioNTech, as well as that of another American firm Moderna, have been proven at least 95% effective after human trials.

However, only the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer has secured emergency authorization use from regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Singapore so far.

The Philippines, for its part, has only been able to secure 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine with British firm AstraZeneca, a supply that is funded by the private sector and good for 1.3 million people.

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has been proven at least 90% effective after human trials.

The Philippine population is around 110 million.

The Philippines has recorded 454,447 COVID-19 cases as of December 17. Of this number, 419,902 recovered while 8,850 died.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 25,695. —KBK, GMA News