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FDA approves Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine for clinical trials


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the application of Chinese drug manufacturer Sinovac Biotech to conduct clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines.

At the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, FDA director general Eric Domingo said all applications for the conduct of clinical trials in the country have been approved, including Sinovac's.

“Lahat ng nag-apply ng clinal trials sa FDA, na-approve na po 'yan,” Domingo said.

“So I would presume nag-uumpisa na po 'yan. ‘Yan po si Janssen ng Johnson and Johnson, ‘yung pong Clover Pharmaceutical, tsaka 'yun pong Sinovac. Meron din po silang clinal trial dito,” he added.

In October last year, the Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) cleared Sinovac for clinical trials, elevating the process to the Ethics Board and the FDA.

In a privilege speech on Monday, Senator Panfilo Lacson said he suspects an attempt to overprice Sinovac's vaccine amid questions on the government's alleged preference for it over other COVID-19 vaccines.

Despite questions on the price and efficacy of Sinovac's vaccine, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said that the Philippines has secured 25 million doses of the product and that 50,000 doses will arrive by February.

Earlier, Senate Finance Committee chairperson Sonny Angara provided a list of available vaccines worldwide that bared Sinovac’s price at P3,629 for two doses, which is higher compared with Pfizer-BioNTech (P2,379); Gamaleya (P1,220); COVAX Facility (P854); AstraZeneca (P610); and Novavax (P366).

The government has refused to bare the cost of each vaccine, citing non-disclosure agreements with the manufacturers.

Sinovac General Manager Helen Yang had said CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine they developed, will be provided to the Philippine government at a reasonable price.  

CoronaVac has so far been cleared for emergency use in China, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey despite claims it was less effective compared to other brands.  --KBK, GMA News

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