MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned why China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine has a “five-month headway” over cheaper and more efficacious brands, supposedly indicating that the government has picked the said jab as its “chosen one” for the country’s vaccination program.
“The national government should expedite the procurement of all qualified and available vaccines. To borrow Secretary Harry Roque Jr.’s words, it should not be choosy in buying vaccines,” Lacson said Wednesday.
The senator’s statement comes after Malacañang said that the vaccine developed by Sinovac is the only option for Filipinos from February until June.
The Philippine government already secured 25 million doses of Sinovac’s vaccine, 50,000 of which will arrive by February.
However, Lacson pointed out that Sinovac has a five-month headway over other brands despite it not even applying for an emergency use authorization (EUA) with Philippine regulators yet.
‘Chosen one’
Further, the senator questioned why Sinovac “appears to have the edge” even over China’s state-owned Sinopharm, whose vaccine has a 79 to 86 percent efficacy, and is being used in the United Arab Emirates.
Sinovac, Lacson noted, is a privately-owned Chinese company whose product’s efficacy is only at 50 to 70 percent.
Its vaccine is also the second most expensive vaccine at P3,629 for two doses, he said.
“Can somebody explain why preference is given to the second most expensive vaccine, has lower efficacy, a record of suspended clinical trials and has not even applied for EUA over other vaccines that cost much less, more efficacious and are about to be granted their [EUA],” the senator also tweeted.
Can somebody explain why preference is given to the second most expensive vaccine, has lower efficacy, a record of suspended clinical trials and has not even applied for EUA over other vaccines that cost much less, more efficacious and are about to be granted their EUA’s?
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) January 12, 2021
Lacson, along with other senators, have repeatedly questioned the government’s seeming preference for Sinovac’s vaccine.
He, likewise, noted that during Monday’s Senate hearing on the government’s inoculation plan, officials seemed “prepared with justifications for favoring Sinovac.”
“Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.’s reply that they will advise Sinovac to apply for an EUA – after concluding a contract with it – only made it obvious that Sinovac is really the chosen one,” Lacson went on.