The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed on Tuesday, March 2, that China's pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm has already submitted an application for emergency use authorization for its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo said that Sinopharm submitted its EUA application on Monday, March 1.
"I did have my staff check it now...and yesterday afternoon, an application has been sent for EUA for Sinopharm," said Domingo in an interview over CNN Philippines.
"They are looking at the documents now to see if the documents are complete or if there are any documents that need to be submitted before we officially accept the application," he added.
The Philippine FDA has so far granted an EUA for the COVID-19 vaccines developed by American pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Britain-based AstraZeneca, and China’s Sinovac Biotech.
The FDA is also currently reviewing the application of Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute and India’s Bharat Biotech.