Video from DOH

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said that two of the COVID-19 vaccine frontrunners are not interested in conducting clinical trials in the Philippines but are open to distribution here.

“Pfizer and Moderna, they do not intend to have clinical trials here in the country,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

Recent reports said that the vaccine being developed by Pfizer was 90% effective in protecting people from COVID-19. Meanwhile, Moderna’s vaccine was at 95% effectivity.

• READ: Pfizer, BioNTech say their COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective
• READ: Moderna says its vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing COVID-19

The DOH previously said both American companies were still interested in vaccine procurement for the Philippines.

Vergeire explained that running clinical trials in the country would have been ideal “so we can see the effect of these vaccines among our population.”

She said that it might have different effects on different races. While the Philippines was not included in both developers’ clinical trials, manufacturers usually test a diverse set of participants.

Back in August, Vergeire said during a briefing that Moderna plans to involve Filipino-Americans in its Phase 3 or large-scale clinical trials.

The health official said the decision of Moderna and Pfizer to not conduct clinical trials in the country would not affect procurement negotiations.

“As long as they will go through the regulatory process at makikita natin ang epekto ng Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3; ma-evaluate ng ating experts at maaprubahan ng ating Food and Drug Administration and then we can readily procure this set of vaccines,” she said.

(As long as they will go through the regulatory process and we see the effects of Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, it’s evaluated by experts and approved by the Food and Drug Administration and then we can readily procure this set of vaccines.)

Before being approved for distribution in the Philippines, a vaccine must first be studied by the country’s expert panel. This involves studying the results of the clinical trials. It will then go through an ethics review and then the approval process of the FDA.

SINOVAC

Reports also showed that Chinese company Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine has triggered quick immune response in tests.

• READ: Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine induces quick immune response: study

Among the vaccine developers applying for clinical trials in the Philippines, Sinovac’s application has already reached the FDA.

“They are just completing some documentary requirements for our ethics review board and FDA has initially started evaluating them,” Vergeire said.

She said once the vaccine is approved by the ethics review board, the FDA will continue evaluating it.

“Hopefully we can start (clinical trials) at once with Sinovac,” Vergeire said.

RUSSIA

Recently, UK market research firm YouGov released results of its survey showing that majority of respondents in various countries including the Philippines were ready to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund, which funded the development of Russia's Sputnik vaccine, released the October poll results which show that Philippine respondents are among those with the highest awareness (55%) when it comes to the Sputnik vaccine.

• Russia eyes production of potential COVID-19 vaccine in Philippines

Asked about the survey, Vergeire simply said that the confidence level on a vaccine would still depend on the government’s evaluation and regulatory process. She said Filipinos should trust the government process in ensuring the safety of all vaccines that will be allowed to be used in the country.