The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday, May 6, said that three companies have expressed interest to apply for an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine made by Chinese firm Sinopharm.
“Meron tatlong kumpanya na sumulat sa FDA separately na nag-aaply ng EUA for Sinopharm (There are three companies that have separately written to the FDA applying for an EUA for Sinopharm),” said FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo during the Laging Handa press briefing.
However, the three companies have yet to submit the necessary requirements, said Domingo.
“Nung binigay po namin yung listahan ng mga requirements---sa ngayon ay wala pa pong nagsa-submit ng requirements sa atin (We gave the list of requirements --- so far no one has submitted the requirements to us),” said Domingo.
“Wala pa kaming natatanggap na official application for EUA for Sinopharm kaya wala din kaming i-evaluate pa or i-approve (We have not yet received an official application for EUA for Sinopharm),” he added.
President Duterte received his first dose of Sinopharm vaccine on Monday, May 3. He, however, requested Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to stop sending the said vaccine brand to the Philippines since it has yet to be cleared by the Philippine health regulators.
Currently, the Philippine Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization to the vaccines developed by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac Biotech, Bharat Biotech, Johnson & Johnson, Gamaleya Research Institute, and Moderna.