Galvez: Sinovac price at midrange compared with other COVID-19 vaccines

Chinese-manufactured Sinovac is not the most expensive COVID-19 vaccine compared with other brands in the market, Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said.

“Kapresyo [ng Sinovac] ang Novavax, Gamaleya. Nasa middle ang Sinovac. Mas mura siya kasya Moderna at ibang vaccines ng US,” Galvez said during the Laging Handa briefing Tuesday.

“Very fair ang treatment namin sa Sinovac dahil binagsak niya (ang presyo). Binigay nila ang best price,” the country's vaccine czar added.

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).

Galvez stressed that Sinovac is being used in countries outside China, which indicates a vote of confidence on its safety and efficacy.

“Tanggalin na natin ang discrimination sa ibang vaccines. Ginamit na nga ng Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, Argentina. Bakit hindi natin gamitin sa atin?” he said.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire echoed Galvez, saying that the government will not sign a vaccine supply deal that will put Filipinos at a disadvantage.

“Hindi papasok ang gobyerno kung tayo ay malulugi. We have a portfolio of vaccines. Itong mga presyo na nakikita ng publiko ay market prices. Pero sila ay nakikipag-negotiate,” Vergeire said.

The Philippine government is eyeing to secure 25 million doses of Sinovac vaccine by first quarter of the year.

Sinovac’s efficacy rate after its human trials, however, varied depending where such trials were conducted.

Its efficacy rate reached 50% in Brazil, 65% in Indonesia and 91% in Turkey.

Vergeire said that such inconsistencies will be taken into consideration but will not necessarily disqualify Sinovac for issuance of emergency use authorization by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration pending review by Philippine vaccine experts.

“We would like to assure the public that we will only procure vaccines which are safe and efficacious,” Vergeire said.—LDF, GMA News