The vaccine expert panel of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is reviewing the documents regarding the Sputnik V, the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine developed in Russia.
Sputnik V is one of the vaccines being considered to undergo clinical trial in the Philippines which may be conducted in October.
The DOST has confirmed in a text message that it has received the documents from Russia on the said vaccine.
According to Dr. Jaime Montoya of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, aside from the solidarity trial of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are two vaccine developers planning to conduct clinical trials in the country.
“If countries finish the phase 3 trials early and comply immediately with the requirements set by the FDA, we predict the earliest approval by our FDA for a vaccine will be around June or the later part of the 2nd quarter 2021.”
Meanwhile, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated that the DOH Technical Working Group is thoroughly discussing developing vaccines against COVID-19. Negotiation with the vaccine manufacturers is constant. However, even if the government wishes to immediately start the clinical trials, legal issues need to be considered first.
Report from Sandra Samala
