Philippine Red Cross denies plan to sell Moderna vaccines

FILE PHOTO: Walmart pharmacist holds a vial of the Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine inside a Walmart department store as Walmart and other major U.S. pharmacies take part in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, to increase vaccinations in the U.S. in West Haven, Connecticut, U.S., February 17, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) clarified it would not sell its procured Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 as it “is not in the business of selling any vaccines.”

PRC Governor Carissa Coscolluela  explained that the procured Moderna vaccines would be offered  to members and donors, “who are willing to bear the cost of the vaccines.”

“To set the record straight, PRC Chairman Richard Gordon never announced that the Red Cross is selling vaccines. He stressed the need to act fast and vaccinate as many people as we can,” Coscolluela said in a statement Monday night.

“What he said was that the PRC procured Moderna COVID 19 vaccines and intends to vaccinate Red Cross members and donors, who are also our members, who are willing to bear the cost of the vaccines, which was US$26.83 per dose plus an administration fee that covers costs for syringes, gloves, PPEs, meals and allowances of our doctors and nurses, and other essential expenses related to the vaccination,” she added.

Gordon earlier said PRC “will be charging P3,500 to recover the cost of our payment of the vaccines from Moderna.”

But Coscolluela stressed, “the PRC is a humanitarian organization and is not in the business of selling any vaccines.”

“It does not charge for anything that it got [for] free”  she further said.

EDV