DOST to public: Trust FDA COVID-19 vaccine screening process

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is urging the public to trust the vaccine screening process of Philippine regulators as nearly half of Filipinos said they would refuse being inoculated against the coronavirus over safety concerns.

DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is ensuring that only vaccines that are proven to be safe and effective will be allowed to be used in the country.

“Hindi naman po siguro bibigyan ng go signal ng FDA kung merong ebidensya na hindi siya karapatdapat,” Dela Peña said Friday in a televised Laging Handa Public Briefing.

“Magtiwala po tayo sa FDA na siyang nakakaalam kung papano ang basehan para bigyang either ng emergency use authority or ng talagang permiso to market,” he added.

A Pulse Asia survey conducted between Nov. 23 and Dec. 2, found that 32% of 2,400 respondents said they would agree to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots when available, while 47% said they would refuse due to safety concerns. The remaining 21% were undecided.

Dela Peña stressed the need to have at least 60% of the population vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. He added that a panel, led by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, is tasked to increase vaccine confidence among Filipinos.

The government is banking on the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech to be the first to reach the country despite having a lower efficacy rate compared to other vaccines from western developers.

The Philippines has so far secured only 2.6 million doses from British drugmaker AstraZeneca which are expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2021.

The FDA is currently deliberating on the emergency use applications filed by Pfizer and AstraZeneca. Russia’s Gamaleya Institute is also expected to apply for authorization of its Sputnik-V vaccine in the Philippines.

/MUF