Roque unsure when Sinopharm doses will be sent back to China

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday said he does not know if the 1,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine will be returned to donor China as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Hindi ko po alam. Ang bilis kasi ng pangyayari,” he said.

[I don’t know. Things went by so fast.]

The President last week made the announcement that he wants donated Sinopharm doses returned, two days after he got a Sinopharm jab on May 3.

Sinopharm has not been issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has since been granted emergency use listing (EUL) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Roque also said on Thursday that the government is determined to expand its COVID-19 vaccine portfolio, including possible purchases of Sinopharm.

Roque said this would be in order, considering the WHO's EUL and since the Department of Health has also applied for an EUA for Sinopharm before the Philippine FDA.

“It means that we are determined to add Sinopharm to expand our vaccine portfolio,” Roque added.

It was only in February this year that the FDA granted compassionate use permit for 10,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine for the use of Presidential Security Group members.

A compassionate use permit, however, only allows for the legal administration of COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines and is not tantamount to the FDA endorsing the product’s safety and efficacy. — BM, GMA News