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Gov't eyeing extending shelf life of expired, near expiry COVID-19 vaccines —DOH
By TED CORDERO,GMA NewsThe government is studying the possibility of stretching the shelf life of some COVID-19 vaccines which have already expired or are nearing expiration to ensure nothing would be wasted, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.
In an interview on Dobol B TV, Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center chairperson Myrna Cabotaje said the DOH and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking at the stability data submitted by manufacturers to determine if the shelf life of certain batches of COVID-19 vaccine doses can be extended beyond their original expiration dates.
Cabotaje cited the extension of shelf life
given to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses that are nearing expiration after the manufacturer submitted to the DOH and the FDA data that the vaccine’s shelf life can be extended from six months to nine months.“Ang kanilang pag-aaral ay depende sa klase ng bakuna,” she said.
(The study depends on the type of vaccine.)
The Health official said the DOH and FDA are waiting for data to be submitted by manufacturers to determine whether or not expired or near expiry vaccine doses can still be administered.
Nonetheless, she said the expired vaccine doses estimated at about 100,000 are “quarantined” in various warehouses and cold chain facilities of the DOH’s regional offices.
Meanwhile, there are about two million doses of various COVID-19 vaccines that are expiring by the end of December and January.
“Wala tayong dini-dispose kagaya ng sabi ko kanina naka-quarantine ‘yan. Ibig sabihin ‘pag naka-quarantine hindi puwedeng gamitin pero tinitignan kung puwedeng gamitin. They're all in the regional warehouses of DOH, regional health offices,” Cabotaje said.
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(We are not disposing of anything. As I’ve said they are quarantined. When these are under quarantine, this means these cannot be used. However we are checking if these can be used.)
The Health official noted that shelf lives of COVID-19 vaccines, averaging at six months, were pre-determined by the FDA as a precaution since these were new drugs.
“So kung may nakita na may mga datos na beyond six months, nag-e-extend sila,” Cabotaje said.
(If there is data that it can be extended beyond six months, it will be extended.)
“‘Yung mga shelf life ng mga bakuna nagpo-progress ‘yan depende sa mga paggamit sa buong mundo,” she added.
(The shelf lives of vaccines progress depending on its use globally.)
The government is aiming to fully-vaccinate 54 million individuals by the end of the year.
“As of December, about 40 million are fully vaccinated,” Cabotaje said.
“We are confident that we will be able to reach our target by the end of the year,” she said. —KG, GMA News