The proposed creation of Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) will be a boon for the country, because it will cut the country’s dependence from other countries as far as the development and production of vaccines is concerned, Zambales 2nd District Rep. Cheryl Deloso Montalla said on Sunday.
The chairperson of the House Committee on Revisions of Laws insisted the need to create a special virology research institute that would conduct innovative scientific researches on viral agents requiring high or maximum containment (biosafety level 2 to 4), and would develop diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics against these viral agents.
“Malaking tulong ito, medyo makakatipid tayo dito, hindi tayo mag-rerely sa ibang bansa. Kung tayo ay nag-aaral ng virus, mayroon tayong initial knowlege kung papano natin pahintuin at istop on certain period at kung papano tayo makagawa ng vaccine. Kung saka-sakali makadevelop ang vaccine ang ating bansa, hindi na tayo bibili ng mga mahal na vaccine, tayo na mismo magpoproduce para sa atin,” she told the DZBB in an interview.
(This will be a big help, we can save from this, we will not rely from other countries. If we study the virus, we have the initial knowledge on how we can stop it and put it to a halt on certain period and how we can produce the vaccine. If our country can develop a vaccine, we will not buy expensive vaccines, we will produce our own.)
Montalla is one of the authors of the seven bills filed in the House of Representatives that seek to institutionalize the Philippine Virology Science and Technology Institute or VIP.
During a joint virtual deliberations, the House Committee on Health and the COVID-19 Response Cluster of the Defeat COVID-19 Ad Hoc Committee decided to create a technical working group (TWG) to consolidate the seven measures, including Montalla’s House Bill No. 6798.
Montalla assured the public that the VIP bill calls for strict implementation of biosafety and biosecurity protocols and measures.
“This is to make sure that when we study these highly-infectious pathogens, our laboratories are well-equipped so that these viruses will be properly contained and that the health of those working in the Institute will not be affected, and the same time, ensure that the possibility that the virus will leak and affect the public health will be remote,” she said.
According to her, the regulation of private virology laboratories and the proper disposal of wastes from laboratories will be part of the measure to ensure public safety.
The House leader said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine under the Department of Health (DOH) will remain as the medical laboratory for new diseases and epidemics, while VIP will serve as the primary research and development unit.
"Kinakabahan ang RITM na makuhanan sila ng trabaho, well actually hindi. Kasi itong Virology Institute of the Philippines, ito ay magiging primary research institute natin sa Pilipinas, pag-aaralan nya ang virus nito up to molecular level, 'yung pinakamaliit na characteristics, para malaman natin kung makakabuo pa tayo ng vaccine or hindi. Ito ay sa preliminary research pa lang. Kapag may clinical study, at gagamitin natin ang human subjects, ay ipapasa na ito sa RITM, technically hindi mawawala ang trabaho ng RITM,” Montalla explained.
(The RITM is nervous that it will lose its mandate, well actually, it will not. Because this Virology Institute of the Philippines, this will act as our primary research institute, it will study the virus in its molecular level, its tiniest characteristics, to help us know if we can produce a vaccine or not. This is not preliminary research. If there is clinical study, and we will use human subjects, we will forward this to the RITM, technically the RITM will not lose its job.)
She explained that in addition to its role in research innovation, the VIP shall serve as reference laboratory for animal and plant virology studies.
“Viral pathogenic and genetic information derived from the researches in the Institute as well as on other virology laboratories in the country can be used to guide the monitoring of disease outbreaks by determining the prevalent strains, management of infected patients by identifying drug-resistant strains, and aid in the design of vaccines and antiviral drugs by identifying molecular targets,” Montalla said.