A vaccine against Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be approved possibly by April given strict compliance with the timeline of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
According to DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña, “If the WHO (World Health Organization) will release their list of vaccines and the protocols by October, that is the only time we can start recruiting patients and then sabihin na natin (let’s say) the fastest maybe that we can start is either December.”
The DOST has estimated that the solidarity trial for the COVID-19 vaccine will last 3 to 6 months and the vaccine that will pass the standards may be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“The best case scenario if clinical trials are completed by December or January, and a company will file with the FDA an application, then it’s possible that by April 2021 that we will have an approved vaccine.” FDA Director-General Eric Domingo calculated.
According to the Science and Technology department, around 12 hospitals included in the 8 zones will serve as sites for the trial. 5 of the zones are located in NCR while CALABARZON, Cebu, and Davao have one zone each.
The government prioritizes the WHO solidarity trial. However, the DOST has assured that independent trials will also be given a zone.
Meanwhile, to test the efficacy of the vaccine, the vaccine recipients will be selected from 5 to 10 barangays with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is currently being drafted.
Moreover, a data and safety monitoring committee will be created to monitor the volunteers included in the trial.
Around 6 confidentiality data agreements have been signed by the Philippines and foreign pharmaceutical companies developing COVID-19 vaccines.
Report from Mark Fetalco
