Local clinical trials of Sinovac vaccine won't affect rollout plans —Palace

Malacañang said Tuesday the clinical trials of Sinovac Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines will not affect the planned rollout in February.

An initial 50,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine known as CoronaVac will be shipped to the Philippines next month. Its application for emergency use authorization would be approved before February 20, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said last week.

“Wala pong epekto iyan doon sa paggamit natin ng Sinovac kasi kung magagamit po iyan kinakailangan ma-issuehan muna ng emergency use authorization,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

“But the clinical trial will be still useful for purposes of the general use authorization ng Sinovac.”

At the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo announced that all applications for the conduct of clinical trials in the country have been approved, including Sinovac's.

CoronaVac has so far been cleared for emergency use in China, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey despite claims it was less effective compared to other brands. —KBK, GMA News