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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider ARTA to ease requirements for local COVID-19 vaccine makers

ARTA to ease requirements for local COVID-19 vaccine makers

Published May 2, 2021 01:13 pm

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and four other key agencies of the government are set to issue a joint memorandum circular (JMC) that will cut down regulatory requirements for local coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine manufacturers.

ARTA

ARTA made the statement following President Duterte's directive to set up a green lane for faster permit processing of local COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to reduce dependency on imported jabs.

In a statement, ARTA Deputy Director-General Ernesto Perez said one of the aims of the JMC that they are crafting is to standardize the documentary requirements, steps, and processing time for the applying companies during the pandemic.

"We will implement those processes and permits under an emergency, without of course sacrificing the safety features of the COVID-19 vaccine we are envisioning to be manufactured in our own country,” he said.

ARTA Deputy Director-General Ernesto Perez (photo from ARTA)

ARTA will spearhead the circular's implementation with other proponents, namely: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI), and Department of Finance (DOF).

The JMC will mandate the creation of a green lane to "facilitate the expedited permitting process in the establishment and operation of local vaccine manufacturers" in hopes of encouraging vaccine commercialization and production in the country that is not only limited to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica hoped that the JMC will pave the way to fast-track other equally important COVID-related products as well.

"For now the priority is on COVID-related medicines. The President is very clear with the vaccines. But if we can do already a green lane for the vaccines, why not do a green lane for all medicines that would be COVID-related?" he said.

ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica (photo from ARTA)

House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera-Dy expressed support for ARTA’s move but noted that legislative safeguards must be put in place to solidify the provisions of the JMC.

"ara sustainable kasi pagka-hindi, mapapalitan ‘yan (So that it will be sustainable because if it is not, it will be changed) every time there’s a new President, there’s a new Secretary. It’s important that we put a legislation into play," she said.

ARTA is set to meet more meetings with the said agencies and other stakeholders to finalize the JMC for the local COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers’ green lane and before it can be submitted to President Duterte to serve as a legal basis for an Executive Order.

Last week, Belgica gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seven working days to complete the establishment of a green lane for the applications of local COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.

Related Tags

DTI department of health Anti-Red Tape Authority DOF department of trade and industry COVID-19 pandemic ARTA Jeremiah Belgica covid-19 JMC Department of Health (DOH) red tape vaccine manufacturer vaccine maker local vaccine manufacturers Joint memorandum circular pandemic Food and Drug Administration FDA covid-19 vaccine Belgica doh Department of Finance Green lane
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