The country is targeting to establish a "fill and finish" facility for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) disease vaccines by next year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
"Ang plano po natin by next year, magkaroon po tayo at least yung tinatawag po nating fill and finish. Meaning, dadalhin po sa Pilipinas yung bulk product tapos dito na po natin ire-repackage--- doon po sa maliliit na vials, ampoules or mga syringes (Our plan for next year is to have at least what we call fill and finish. Meaning, the bulk product will be brought to the Philippines and then we will repackage it --- in small vials, ampoules or syringes)," said FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo on Monday night, Sept 20, during President Duterte's public press briefing.
“So ito po yung nauna nating plano na tina-target po for next year. And then the year after that, yun na pong manufacturing nang mas maraming ibang klase pong bakuna dito (So this is our initial plan that we are targeting for next year. And then the year after that, we aimed at manufacturing different types of vaccines here),” he added.
Domingo said that the Philippine government is in talks with other countries with regards to "technology transfer."
He said that the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Health were in charge for this fill and finish facility initiative.
"Tuloy-tuloy naman po ang pakikipag-usap nila doon sa mga manufacturers po abroad para nga po magkaroon ng technology transfer dito (They are in constant communication with the manufacturers abroad so that there can be a technology transfer here),” said Domingo.
“Mayroon pong kinakausap from Cuba also from China. At mayroon din pong alam ko sa European countries, even po yung Russia parang interested din po eh (We are in talks with the manufacturers in different countries like Cuba and China. There's also from European countries, and Russia also expressed its interest as well),” he added.