A medical worker takes a box of Sinovac’s vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from a refrigerator at a community health centre in Qingdao, Shandong province, China January 5, 2021. Picture taken January 5, 2021. (China Daily via REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — China’s Sinovac Biotech’s vaccine against COVID-19 is not the most expensive and was sold at a “very good price” to the Philippines, one of the drugmaker’s officials said Monday.
Sinovac Biotech General Manager Helen Yang said the firm’s vaccine price is “reasonable” and it is not the most expensive nor the second most expensive in the market.
“That’s not the second most expensive, I can assure you. It is reasonable, I believe,” she said in an interview on CNN Philippines’ The Source.
“I will be assuring you that this is a very good price that we have provided to the Philippines,” Yang added.
The statement is consistent with Malacañang earlier pronouncements that Sinovac’s vaccine is not the most expensive, since the Philippines was given a “BFF” rate.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque earlier said Sinovac’s vaccine will only cost around P650 per dose.
Yang did not confirm the said rate, but insisted that the price of the vaccine is reasonable.
She likewise pointed out that buying the vaccine is only one factor in the cost, other costs should also be considered such as logistics, transportation and storage of the vaccine.
Sinovac is already finalizing the term sheet agreement with the Philippine government.
The Philippines has secured 25 million doses of the Sinovac’s vaccine for 2021, 50,000 of which will arrive in the country in February.
Before the vaccines are rolled out, however, Yang said the country’s Food and Drug Administration must first approve the product for emergency use, Yang said.
Sinovac has applied for an emergency use authorization this month.