Hitch in delivery of donated Sinovac shots as FDA yet to issue EUA

MANILA, Philippines — The delivery of 600,000 doses of China-based drugmaker Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine to the Philippines may be delayed as the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to issue an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the vaccine.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Chinese government, which donated the vaccine doses to the Philippines, will wait for the issuance of an EUA before delivering the shots.

Roque earlier said the vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the country on Feb. 23.

“Nais po nilang hintayin yung EUA bago iparating sa ating bansa ‘yung kanilang donated na Sinovac [vaccine],” he said in a Palace briefing.

(They want to wait for the EUA before they deliver to the Philippines for the donated vaccine doses.)

“So kapag hindi po lumabas ang EUA, baka maantala rin ang pagdating ng 600,000 [doses] na Sinovac,” Roque added.

(If the EUA is not issued yet, the delivery of the 600,000 doses may be delayed.)

Last month, Sinovac submitted its application for an EUA to the FDA. An EUA is required before a vaccine can be legally administered in the country.

So far, only the Covid-19 vaccines of US-based Pfizer-BioNTech and British drugmaker AstraZeneca have secured EUAs in the country.

Sinovac’s efficacy rate varied from 50.4%, 65%, and 91.25% in trials in Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey.

EDV