The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) says no exact date yet for WHO Solidarity Trial for Vaccines.
DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said that the global trial is expected to commence in the Americas this month, while for the other countries like the Philippines, the initiative is set to begin in December.
“Ang unang pagdadausan ng clinical trial ay Americas at ang iba pa na kinabibilangan ng Pilipinas ay sa Disyembre pa. Hindi ko alam kung gaano kalaki ang magiging trials doon sa Americas at dito sa atin sa Pilipinas ,” said Dela Peña in an online forum hosted by the Department of Health (DOH).
“Definitely, wala pa silang ina-announce kung aling mga vaccines ang makakasama at kung anong protocol ang susundin. At wala pa ring eksaktong date sa Disyembre makakaumpisa dito ,” he added.
Vaccine czar
In a related development, Dela Peña also threw his support behind Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., who was designated as the country’s vaccine czar.
“Kami ay naniniwala na makakabuti na magkaroon ng isang vaccine czar…The buck stops there, kahit na marami kaming involved eh meron isa sa itaas na talagang nakakaalam. So malaking bagay na magkaroon ng vaccine czar ,” he said.
Galvez told DOST that it will be part of a task group in-charge of the “ technical evaluation and selection” concerning potential COVID-19 vaccines, said Dela Peña.
“In fact mamaya makikipag-pulong kami kay Secretary Galvez to really define exactly kung hanggang saan ang aming responsibility dahil maraming task group ang i-criniate which definitely include DOST, DOH, and I think DBM (Department of Budget and Management) din ,” said the DOST chief.
On Monday, November 9, Galvez is expected to present the organizational structure of the vaccine implementation team as well as other the initial plans, said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“Just in a nutshell, wala po tayong binago sa mga ginagawa natin. Tulad ng sinabi ni Secretary Boy (Dela Pena) kanina.. .Secretary Galvez is here to lead us and to make things more expeditious,” said Vergeire.
“Pero yung existing processes ayun pa rin ang ginagawa natin, nagbibigay lang sya ng mga pointers on how we can improve and how we can make it more expeditious,” she added.
Galvez was tasked by President Duterte to oversee the negotiation, manufacture, production, purchase, or distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.