Vaccine developers to be held responsible for clinical trial injury — Dela Peña
For those individuals who have participated in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccine clinical trials and eventually, suffered from its adverse effects and sustained injuries will be indemnified by the vaccine developers, DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said Thursday, Feb. 4.

“Kung meron pong hindi magandang epekto 'yung trial vaccines dun sa pasyente, yan po ay sagot ng vaccine company (If the trial vaccines have adverse effects on the patient, the vaccine company will be held responsible),” he said during a televised briefing.
The DOST Chief said the local government units (LGUs) will not spend a single centavo for the conduct of clinical trials by the vaccine developers that were given green light to conduct their Phase 3 clinical trial in the Philippines.
This week, the Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals will start its coronavirus vaccine clinical trials.
“Hindi dapat gumastos ang LGUs ng kahit ano (The LGUs should not spend anything) ,” he said when asked if the LGUs that were included in the clinical trials will be given funds for such initiative.
He cited the crucial role of the LGUs in the clinical trials, particularly in the recruitment of volunteers.
Dela Peña noted that virtual town hall meetings, participated in by doctors, registered nurses, barangay health workers, city and municipal health care workers, medical technologists, and local chief executives and barangay captains were held on Jan. 29, Feb.1 and 2 to inform them about the nitty-gritty of the upcoming conduct of the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Vaccine Trials (SVT) in the country.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been signed between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and DOST that outlines the partnership between the two agencies for the conduct of the WHO SVT.
Under Resolution No. 68 dated Sept. 3, 2020 by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), such agreement was proposed.
Dela Peña had noted that the letters signed by vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and the Guidelines for the Local Government Units’ Assistance on the Implementation of the WHO SVT were already sent last Jan. 13, 2021 to the mayors where the WHO SVT will be conducted.