Samples of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm subsidiary CNBG are displayed near a 3D model of a coronavirus during a trade fair in Beijing on Sept. 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a compassionate use license for 10,000 doses of China-based Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine, Malacañang said Thursday.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the vaccine doses will be administered to the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
“Nag-issue ng compassionate use license ang ating FDA para sa 10,000 dosage ng Sinopharm. Ito ay sang-ayon sa application ng ating PSG,” he said in a Palace briefing.
(The FDA has issued a compassionate use license for 10,000 doses of Sinopharm. This is in accordance with the application of PSG.)
Roque said the vaccine doses meant for the PSG might also cover the families of the personnel since the total number of the President’s close-in security detail would not reach 10,000.
The compassionate use license will allow the PSG to get access to unregistered vaccines sans an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA, which is required before a vaccine can be administered legally in the country.
Sinopharm has yet to apply for an EUA before the FDA.
To date, only the Covid-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech and British drugmaker AstraZeneca have secured EUAs in the country.
The compassionate use license will also allow the PSG and their families to skip the line of the government’s Covid-19 priority groups where uniformed personnel are fourth on the list.
Some members of the President’s security detail have already been administered Covid-19 vaccines as early as September last year, PSG commander Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III earlier admitted.
The vaccine shots were donated.
In December last year, President Rodrigo Duterte said several military personnel were already inoculated with a vaccine against COVID-19 developed by China’s Sinopharm.