Vaccine developers Janssen Pharmaceutical of Belgium, and Clover and Sinovac of China are now preparing to conduct third phase clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.

Under the third phase of the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, thousands of volunteers will be administered with a vaccine to test its safety and efficacy. The target areas for the trial of Janssen are San Pablo and Cabuyao in Laguna, Makati City and Metro Manila, La Paz in Iloilo, and Bacolod City.

Sinovac trial is aiming to cover Quezon City, Marikina City, Pasay City, and Alaminos in Laguna. The target areas for Clover trial also include Quezon City, Makati City, Manila City, Taguig City, Las Piñas City, Parañaque City, Calamba in Laguna, and Dasmariñas in Cavite.

“Currently, there is no definite date yet when the clinical trials will start for Janssen, Clover and Sinovac. But they intend to start the soonest when the process of determining and preparing their trial sites are completed,” Department of Science and Technology (DOST) USec. Rowena Guevarra reported.

Pregnant women and idividuals with severe medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension will not be included in the trial. Eligible participants will be divided into two study groups which will be given placebo or investigational COVID-19 vaccine.

“Walang may alam kung sino ang naka-receive nitong placebo at kung sino nakareceive ng bakuna (No one will know who received the placebo and the vaccine),” Department of Health (DOH) USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire stated.

“The proponents will also be overseeing this. Malalaman po ng naka-receive ng (they will find out who received the) placebo at the end of the trial,” Vergeire added.

The vaccines that will successfully complete the process of the clinical trial will be granted Certificate of Product Registration by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). – Report from Mark Fetalco

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