Around 1,000 Pinoys to join Phase 3 trials of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Around 1,000 Filipinos will join the third and final phase of clinical trials for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) director said Thursday.

According to Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras,” PCHRD executive director Dr. Jaime Montoya said the trial will take three to six months after it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Based on our discussion, mga a thousand people po ‘yan na involved, randomly selected sa mga communities na may high transmission para matingnan kung talagang epektibo siya,” he said.

“‘Pag natapos po ‘yun, ‘yung resulta ng Pilipinas at ibang mga bansa na kasama doon sa Phase 3 clinical trial ay pagsasama-samahin, pag-aaralan,” Montoya added.

The Philippines has also obtained a confidentiality agreement to further study the Russian vaccine.

“Mukhang okay naman po, napatunayan doon na ito ay effective, mayroong sufficient antibody levels. ‘Yung mga parameters po na tinitingnan dahil walang side effect na nakita except sa kaunting lagnat, ‘yun lang po. Pero siyempre po, ‘yung detalye po ay kailangan nating makita,” Montoya said.

He also stressed that the vaccine cannot be registered in the Philippines until after the Phase 3 trial is completed.

Montoya added that China was also eyeing the conduct of the Phase 3 trial of its Sinovac vaccine candidate in the Philippines.

The PCHRD director earlier said that Sputnik V may be available in the country by April 2021. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier announced that it was the first COVID-19 vaccine to be granted regulatory approval. 

However, the vaccine was met with doubt over its lack of the crucial late-stage trial. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News