There is no definite schedule yet as to when the  World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Vaccine Trials (WHO SVT) will be conducted in the country, an official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has disclosed. 

Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara, who heads the Task Group  on Vaccine Evaluation and Selection (TG-VES), said they were still awaiting the WHO’s go-signal as the final Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and specific protocols for the conduct of the vaccine trials have yet to be issued. 

"We are still waiting for word from WHO,” she said in a text message to the Manila Bulletin when asked about the schedule of the SVT in the country. 

During the 39th founding anniversary celebration of the DOST’s  Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) on Wednesday, March 17, Guevara noted that the country’s participation to the WHO SVT is "one of the best strategies that will allow the Philippines to contribute towards providing evidence-based safety and efficacy in humans of candidate vaccines through  collective problem-solving, interconnectedness, and inclusivity.”

The DOST has been waiting for the WHO to issue the final SOPs and specific protocols for the conduct of the SVT in the country since last January.

"Preparations are ongoing for the conduct of the WHO SVT. The WHO SVT Team will confirm  with the WHO Headquarters the possibility that Solidarity Vaccine Trials will refrain the use of placebo if there's already widespread vaccination rollout by the DOH,” Guevara said. 

Twenty-one areas, mostly in Manila and Quezon City have been identified as sites for the SVT, DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya bared during the virtual town hall meeting organized by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on the “COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment” held Wednesday. 

Based on the documents presented by Montoya, seven areas in Manila City and six areas in Quezon City have been identified as WHO SVT sites. Some areas in Pasay City, San Juan City, Paranaque City and Taguig City have also been selected as vaccine trial sites. 

Montoya noted that the Philippines will participate in the WHO SVT as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) through its Resolution No. 47.

He said the primary goal of the SVT is "to evaluate promptly, efficiently, and reliably the safety and efficacy of candidate vaccine/s."