President Duterte could be inoculated soon with the vaccine developed by Sinopharm.
(PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO)
The President is just waiting for the issuance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the vaccines developed for immunization against COVID-19 by the state-owned pharmaceutical company, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Sinopharm has already filed an application with the FDA for the emergency use of its vaccines in the country. The President prefers to take the Chinese-developed drug.
"Moot and academic na 'yang tanong na 'yan because mag-aantay si Presidente ng EUA dahil nabalita ko kahapon na mayroon na nag-apply for the EUA of Sinopharm (The question is moot and academic becuase the President will wait for the EUA because we reported that an application for EUA of Sinopharm has been filed),” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said during a televised press briefing, when asked for an update on the Palace study on the President's proposed Sinopharm vaccination under the compassionate use permit.
"So mag-aantay na lang siya approval ng Sinopharm (So he will just wait for the approval of Sinopharm)," he said.
Roque earlier said the Palace legal team was looking into whether the President can use the Sinopharm vaccine under the compassionate use license secured previously by the Presidential Security Group (PSG) from the FDA.
So far, only Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac have been granted EUAs in the country. The first batch of the Sinovac vaccines was delivered to the country last Sunday.
While he was thankful for China’s donated vaccines, the President did not line up for Sinovac vaccination. The 75-year-old Duterte explained that his doctor has advised him to wait for the other Chinese-made vaccine suitable for his advanced age.
The Sinovac vaccine secured an emergency use approval from the local drug regulators but has not been recommended for health workers dealing with COVID-19 patients due to its different efficacy rates. The agency instead advised the use of Sinovac for healthy persons between the ages of 18 to 59 years.