Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Eric Domingo warned on Wednesday that doctors and nurses who prescribe unregistered medicines, vaccines included, are equally as criminally liable as importers and sellers of aforementioned products.
The warning came following the confession of San Juan City Representative Ronaldo Zamora of getting two booster shots of the vaccine Sinopharm last December 2020, even though the country only started its vaccination rollout last March of this year.
According to Domingo, both instances of prescribing and selling unregistered vaccines may face charges as it is unlawful to bring into the country medicine or vaccines that are not registered under the FDA.
The FDA only approved the use of Sinopharm in February, and granted the emergency use authorization of said vaccine in June.
“Cases may be filed against the doctors and importers and distributors because it is illegal to allow the use of unregistered products,” Domingo said.
Domingo added that recipients of unregistered vaccines are not liable under the law.
–(PTV News)/PG-rir
