Zubiri seeks executive session to find out prices of COVID-19 vaccines

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Friday moved for an executive session between senators and executive officials to find out the prices of the COVID-19 vaccines they intend to procure.

At a Senate hearing, Zubiri said there is a need for transparency because government funds are involved.

"Gusto ko kasi silang tanungin nang harap-harapan, without media... what is it talaga, what is going o what is the number that we're looking at. Kasi kung hindi, hindi mawawala yung agam-agam," he said.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., on the other hand, said that breaking the government's non-disclosure agreements with the manufacturers may compromise negotiations.

"We are reprimanded by the manufacturer and they said that we are in ongoing negotiations. Anyway, these prices will become public domain after the negotiations, considering that the prices have been negotiated in different countries also," Galvez said.

He said the manufacturers said breaching the non-disclosure deals may complicate their negotiations with other countries as well.

"With your indulgence, if we will say in public the prices, it will compromise the 140 million doses that we are getting, and all the companies will withdraw in our negotiation," he said.

Zubiri clarified that he does not mean to derail vaccine procurement. He said vaccine manufacturers, except China's Sinovac, are an "open book" on their prices.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Zubiri's motion will be tackled later on in the hearing.

Zubiri earlier said that Sinovac's vaccine is the most expensive at over P3,000. Galvez claimed however that the Chinese manufacturer gave the Philippines the "best price."

"Kapresyo [ng Sinovac] ang Novavax, Gamaleya. Nasa middle ang Sinovac. Mas mura siya kasya Moderna at ibang vaccines ng US," Galvez said earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization to the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said Pfizer's product has been found in phase 3 clinical trials to have an efficacy rate of 95% in the study population and at least 92% among all racial groups.

"The EUA means the benefits outweigh the known and potential risks," Domingo said.

He said the Pfizer vaccine can be administered to people 16 years old and above. — RSJ, GMA News