DOH: Clinical trials on possible COVID-19 vaccine a ‘whole of gov’t’ approach

FILE PHOTO: A worker performs a quality check in the packaging facility of Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech, developing an experimental coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, during a government-organized media tour in Beijing, China, September 24, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said the process of clinical trials on a possible coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine has a “whole of government” approach, and has a steering committee consisting of the agency, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

This comes after Senator Francis Tolentino called out the three government agencies for its “confusing” set up on the vaccine trials in the country.

During the Laging Handa online press briefing, DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said that there is an “institutional structure” observed for the trials.

“Mayroon ho tayong institutional structure. Ito po yung steering committee on clinical trials kung saan po FDA, DOST and DOH are all working together,” she said.

(We have an institutional structure. This is the steering committee on clinical trials where the FDA, DOST and DOH are working together.)

“Nagu-umpisa po ‘yan sa Department of Science and Technology kung saan nagtalaga sila ng vaccines experts panel. So lahat po ng magki-clinical trials ay dadaan po sa panel na ito at additional safeguards po ‘yan ng ating gobyerno  para masigurong ligtas at tsaka effective talaga ang  bakuna na ibibigay natin sa ating mga kababayan,” she added.

(This starts with the Department of Science and Technology where we have a panel of vaccine experts. So everything that will go through clinical trials will go through this panel, and this is also an additional safeguard of the government to make sure that the vaccines to be given are safe and effective.)

After getting a positive response from the experts’ panel, Vergeire said the next process for the vaccine trial will be to undergo an FDA regulatory process. And if the vaccine gets a positive recommendation and is approved, then the DOH will be the one to implement it.

“So this is really a process, lahat po kami nagta-trabaho, sama-sama. This is whole of government and we have a structure for that to oversee that this process will be proper na gagawin para masiguro ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan,” Vergeire said.

(So this is really a process, we are working together. This is whole of government and we have a structure for that to oversee that this process will be proper and to make sure that the people are safe.)

As of Oct. 9, the Philippines’ COVID-19 caseload is at 334,770, with 275,307 recoveries and 6,152 deaths.

/MUF