Hontiveros to gov’t: Get final vaccine data before accepting China’s ‘gifts’

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged the government not to “blindly trust” China and be “wary of gifts” until it obtains the final data on the vaccine China will be donating to the Philippines.

“For the record, China continues to bully us in our own waters and maintains a telecom deal in our own military camps. We should be wary of gifts it gives us in the name of friendship kung ipinagkakait nila ang importanteng datos tungkol sa bakuna (if they keep denying important data regarding the vaccine),” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“If China is really our friend, they will go through all the steps to make sure the vaccine is safe before giving it out for free…Kahit libre man ‘yan, hindi uso ang blind trust,” she added.

Over the weekend, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing will donate 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines to the Philippines.

The brand of the vaccine to be donated, however, has yet to be specified.

Hontiveros, nevertheless, noted that China-based firm Sinovac has yet to release the full results of the Phase 3 trials that it conducted in Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey, which she noted contain important information concerning its side effects and the duration of effectiveness.

Medical journals have also not reviewed or published any of CoronaVac’s Phase 3 data, she added.

“If it is as safe as they claim it to be, what is there to hide? Bakit kailangang ipagkait ang mga resulta, pati sa mga eksperto (why it is necessary to deny the results, even to the experts)?” she said.

“Bago pa man natin tanggapin ang libreng bakuna ng Tsina, at lalo bago nating bigyan ng authorization, ipakita sa publiko ang datos na ito nga ay totoo at napag-aralan ng FDA ng mabuti, without bias or ulterior motives. Kahit libre man yan, hindi uso ang blind trust,” she added.

(Even before we accept China’s free vaccine, and especially before we authorize it, show the public that this data is true and has been carefully studied by the FDA, without bias or ulterior motives. Even if it is free, there shouldn’t be blind trust)

No vaccine should be given a “free pass” even if it was being offered for free, according to the senator.

“This is not an opportunity to seek political favor or advantage,” she said.

“Kahit gusto ng lahat magkabakuna na (Even though everyone already wants to be vaccinated), we have to be as strict as we can be. People’s lives are at stake, and if we let just any vaccine through, ang Pilipino na naman ang masasaktan (Filipinos are the ones who will suffer,” she added.

Following the announcement of China’s donation, FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said the Department of Health (DOH) may accept the donation and administer the vaccines even without its approval

Nevertheless, the DOH  said it will still wait for the EUA before administering the donated vaccines.

RELATED STORY: Senators raise concern over FDA’s ‘dangerous’ stance on donated vaccines

/MUF