Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s vote of confidence for Russia’s controversial Sputnik V vaccine, state scientists allayed concerns the Philippines would prioritize it for trials, saying all potential vaccines being reviewed were on “equal footing.” 

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said in a Facebook post on Thursday, August 13, that while Russia may have been the first country to register and approve a COVID-19 vaccine, the Philippine was still in talks with other countries for trials of other vaccines. 

“The DOST is also pursuing collaboration with bilateral partners. We have already committed to the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Trial for Vaccines where the Philippines will undertake the (Phase 3) clinical trials for 4 or 5 vaccines that are pre-qualified by WHO,” he added.

Dr Rowena Guevara, DOST Undersecretary for research and development, said that aside from Russia and China, the country was engaged in discussions with the United States, Australia, and other European countries for vaccines being developed in these countries. 

“They are all on equal footing as far as we are concerned,” she said in De la Peña’s post. 

Philippine clinical trials

The DOST, which currently leads the government’s sub-technical working group on vaccine development, earlier eyed to begin Phase 3 clinical trials for at least 5 vaccine candidates by October. These include 3 from Sinovac, Sinopharm, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in China as well as two being developed by Adimmune Corporation and Academia Sinica in Taiwan.  

Clinical trials for the 5 selected vaccines will take place alongside the WHO solidarity trial for a vaccine once it begins. 

The Department of Health announced the country was also considering joining Phase 3 clinical trials for Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine. If approved, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said clinical trials may begin in October. 

Philippine Council for Health Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya said this will still depend on the decision of the DOST and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“The vaccine experts panel from the DOST and FDA will assess and decide if they will allow the clinical trial to proceed in the country. They will also ask for copies of Russia’s research protocol as there is only ‘limited information made available’ to the public,” he said. 

Health experts earlier warned against prematurely endorsing Russia’s vaccine without without transparent and published scientific data. Doing so, they said, could undermine safety and public trust crucial in vaccination and public health programs. 

Must Read

Duterte still keen on Russian COVID-19 vaccine despite experts’ warnings

Other efforts taken

Aside from trials, De la Peña said the DOST was encouraging local pharmaceutical companies to also put up “fill-and-finish manufacturing plants” for a COVID-19 vaccine. 

The agency has also proposed the establishment of a “Virology S&T (Science and Technology) Institute of the Philippines” as part of the government’s infrastructure plan to boost the country’s capacity to develop vaccines. 

Meanwhile, De la Peña said that apart from the country’s short-term strategy to join clinical trials, the government’s vaccine development working group was also looking into “potential vaccine collaborations…that will allow local manufacturing, possibly through licensing from a foreign vaccine developer or company.”

In a separate briefing last August 5, De la Peña earlier said the government may spend P1.5 billion for the country’s participation in GAVI’s COVAX facility, designed to guarantee rapid, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

The Philippines, which has invested little in scientific research through the years, earlier said it had no means yet to produce its own vaccine. – Rappler.com