Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez on Friday clarified that the reported procurement of Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinovac is not yet a done deal contrary to reports the government has already secured a supply contract with the drug manufacturer.
Galvez made the assurance after Senator Nancy Binay asked whether government funds have already been released to procure Sinovac vaccines, which have shown a lower efficacy rate.
Like other nations trying to secure doses of COVID-19 vaccines to control the pandemic, the vaccine czar explained that the government merely entered into an “advance market commitment” and no public funds have been used yet to purchase doses of Sinovac vaccines.
“Is that a done deal, considered good (as) sold already? Parang done deal na ba ‘yan? Wala nang atrasan?” Binay asked during the Senate Committee of the Whole’s continuation of its inquiry into the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Galvez replied: “No.”
Asked by Binay if the government can still stop plans to buy Sinovac medicines. Galvez said “Yes.”
At this point, deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force against COVID-19 Vivencio Dizon interjected and explained that the government would still rely on the recommendation that would be given by the vaccine expert panel.
“The answer to that is yes (we can defer buying Sinovac vaccines). If the vaccine expert panel does not recommend a certain vaccine, then the Philippine government will not purchase and not administer the vaccine,” Dizon stressed.
“In short, we will be reliant on what the vaccine expert panel recommends. What Secretary Galvez is trying to say is, that in the initial review of the vaccine expert panel, they recommended seven (7) vaccines. This is why the vaccine cluster has included them in the portfolio for possible purchase and to administer the vaccine,” added Dizon.
“And these are the vaccines enumerated by Secretary Galvez earlier, which initially includes Sinovac. But hindi pa po final ito (But this is not yet final). So hihintayin pa rin po natin ang (So we will still wait for the) vaccine expert panel’s recommendation based on the Phase 3 clinical trials and also the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) issuance of the EUA (emergency use authorization),” he further said.
Galvez seconded Dizon’s explanation and said they will rely on the recommendation of the country’s vaccine expert panel since this is science-based and it would eventually be passed to the FDA.
Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan expressed relief to hear it from Galvez as he was earlier quoted in the media as saying Sinovac was already purchased since Singapore has already decided to use the China-made vaccine.
“Because news reports from Singapore reported that their ministry of health said ‘we will scrutinize the Sinovac vaccine and it has not been approved.’ Because the good Secretary Galvez said it is already okay with Singapore, so it would be okay for the Philippines, but that is not the case, Mr. President,” Pangilinan said.
But Galvez assured that the Philippines will adopt the same process Singapore has and wait for manufacturers of Sinovac to comply with the requirements in obtaining for an EUA and wait for the recommendation of vaccine experts on the matter.
“Kung ano po ang gagawin ng Singapore, we will also do that. Kaya nga po ang (That is precisely why) Sinovac, they are waiting for the clinical trial in Turkey, Brazil and Indonesia,” he said.
“Ang sinasabi ko lang po kung ang Indonesia, yung presidente ng (I’m just citing Indonesia, because the president of) Indonesia has already taken the jab of Sinovac, so pag nag apply na po dito ang Sinovac at na aaprub po ang EUA, (so if Sinovac applies here and get approved for EUA), I will also be willing to take that,” Galvez said.
Some senators questioned earlier the government’s reported preference and forceful attempt to primarily use Chinese-made coronavirus vaccines in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program saying the move would only breed mistrust and serious suspicions of corruption and kickbacks in the deal.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros had asked the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)’s Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) to justify their preference for Sinovac and Sinopharm, despite findings that these vaccines reportedly have “inconsistent or questionable data.”
“We need a panel of experts whose only stake in this is giving the public the safest and most effective vaccines. We should hold them accountable for their decisions,” Hontiveros said.
Binay, meanwhile, urged the Department of Health (DOH) and other decision makers in the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program to “think like they are parents of the nation.”
“Because if you are a parent, you would always think (of) what is best for your children, especially when it comes to their health. I hope that is the mindset when choosing what vaccines to administer to our people,” Binay said.