Sinopharm distributor denies hand in PSG COVID-19 vaccination

A group claiming to be the sole distributor of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines has denied involvement in the inoculation of military members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) using an unregistered vaccine.

“As to the recent distribution of the Sinopharm vaccine undertaken for the benefit of the PSG, MKG was not a part of it,” said "Jose" of MKG Universal Drugs Trading Corporation in a Dobol B sa News TV interview on Friday.

Another MKG representative, "Juan," said their company will follow the law in distributing Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines.

“We are committed to follow the regulations in securing the EUA (emergency use authorization) and the distribution of the vaccine will start by first quarter of 2021,” he said.

Jose and Juan refused to reveal their true identities for security reasons.

An EUA, which is issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provides that evaluation of the vaccine shows it is safe and effective.

The MKG representatives said they already secured an FDA application and sent it to Sinopharm headquarters in China, which will be the one to submit the needed requirements for an application for EUA to the FDA.

According to FDA Director General Eric Domingo, only American firm Pfizer has submitted an EUA application for the COVID-19 vaccine it developed with BioNTech.

The MKG group, however, could not say if the Sinopharm vaccine given to PSG was smuggled as earlier said by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

“We cannot comment on that,” Juan said.

Under the FDA law, it is illegal to import, distribute, manufacture, use unregistered product, including vaccines.

PSG Chief PSG Commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III said that they inoculated themselves with Sinopharm vaccine and only informed President Rodrigo Duterte, who first bared the inoculation of some soldiers, after the fact.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. has justified the  vaccination on PSG as a necessary step to protect the President.

Without identifying the source, officials had said that the vaccine was a donation.

The Philippines has 474,064 COVID-19 cases as of December 31, 2020. Of this number, 439,796 recovered while 9,244 died.

The number of active cases is at 25,024. —KBK, GMA News