FDA investigation yet to uncover info on PSG's Sinopharm jabs in 2020

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to receive any information from the Presidential Security Group as regards the doses of Sinopharm vaccines the PSG received in 2020, FDA director general Dr. Eric Domingo has said.

According to Lei Alviz's report on "24 Oras", Domingo said the FDA and even Health Secretary Francisco Duque had asked the PSG for information on the COVID-19 vaccines given to its members.

The FDA gave compassionate use authorization

"Even Secretary Duque has asked for information but there's really nothing forthcoming," Domingo said.

"It's a very difficult situation and until now, hindi namin masarahan ang kaso na ito," he added

Domingo said the information on the Sinopharm jabs would be useful especially since a certain number of PSG members contracted COVID-19 in March.

"We want to know what happened to them," Domingo said. 

Duterte gets jab

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte was inoculated against COVID-19 using China-made Sinopharm vaccine.

The vaccine was administered by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

President Rodrigo Duterte was covered by the compassionate special permit  (CSP), which was earlier issued by the FDA to China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, Malacanang said.

A CSP, however, only allows for legal administration of COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines and is not tantamount to the FDA's endorsement.  

Roque said the FDA has issued a compassionate use permit for the legal administration of the 10,000 doses of Sinopharm in the country, which include the 1,000 doses donated by the Chinese government.

"Wala pong nalabag na batas. Hindi po ilegal ito [no law was violated, this is not illegal]," Roque said of Duterte receiving a Sinopharm jab.

Donations

Malacanang said the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine that Duterte received was part of the batch donated by the Chinese government, 

"It forms part of the 1,000 doses of Sinopharm donated by China," presidential Roque said. "These are not smuggled."

Chona also gave testing kits, masks, PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment), ventilators and face shields, Roque added.

Roque, however, said he has no information on when the vaccine arrived in the country.—NB, GMA News