ACCDG. TO FDA

Checklist: How to spot fake COVID-19 vaccines

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday urged the public to be wary of fake COVID-19 vaccines as the country grapples with a supply shortage.

FDA Deputy Director General Dr. Oscar Gutierrez warned that fake vaccines could be contaminated with hazardous substances that could cause severe disease, permanent disability, or death.

“They are ineffective and give false sense of protection, thus [the] person may get infected and spread the infection in the community,” he said at a briefing.

Gutierrez said the following are some of the indications that a COVID-19 vaccine is fake:

• The vaccine is incorrectly labeled or not labeled at all
• The vaccine has an out-of-date or missing expiry date
• The vaccine does not contain storage instructions
• The packaging is poorly constructed or appears to have been altered
• The packaging has spelling or grammatical errors
• The vial is dirty or scratched
• The cap is dented or broken
• The rubber seal has been punctured

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For products that need to be diluted, the solution changes color, becomes cloudy, or contains foreign objects

The FDA official also admitted, however, that some fake vaccines are labelled and packaged to a “high standard,” making them difficult to spot.

“Sometimes, a laboratory test is the only way to identify the difference,” he said.

Gutierrez reminded the public to get their COVID-19 jab only from vaccination sites authorized by the Department of Health and not from online sources, marketplaces, or drug outlets.

He also said only authorized health workers are allowed to conduct the pre-vaccination screening and to administer the shots.

Republic Act 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs prohibits activities related to the importation, manufacture, sale, distribution, or mere possession of counterfeit drugs.

“As of now, there are no fake vaccines in the Philippines yet that’s why we are trying to prevent their entry into our supply chain,” Gutierrez said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned against selling fake vaccines, urging unscrupulous traders not to exacerbate the impact of the pandemic.

Duterte also allowed private firms to import COVID-19 vaccines “at will” but presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. clarified that a tripartite agreement among the firm, national government, and vaccine manufacturer would still be required.

The Philippines has inoculated over 656,000 individuals as of March 27. -MDM, GMA News