WHO solidarity trials in PH may start in June — DOST official

MANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organization’s solidarity trials for COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines may begin this June, a Department of Science and Technology (DOST) official said Tuesday.

“Ineexpect natin na magsimula yung sa WHO solidarity vaccine trials baka by June,” DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said in a televised briefing.

(We expect the WHO solidarity vaccine trials to start by June.)

“Na-decide na nila na imbis na ang tutulungan nila o ang gagamitin na bakuna ay yung galing sa malalaking kumpanya, nag-decide ang WHO na mas interesado sila tulungan ang mga maliliit pa na companies na nagdedevelop ng vaccines,” she added, but did not disclose the specific vaccine brands.

(They have decided that instead of using vaccines from huge companies, the WHO decided they are more interested in helping smaller companies that develop vaccines.)

The WHO has also yet to identify which brand of COVID-19 vaccine it would use in the clinical trials in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Guevarra said the WHO is now in coordination with local government units to recruit participants for the clinical trials.

Outside the WHO solidarity trials, there are also vaccine manufacturers that have applied to conduct their independent clinical trials in the Philippines like Chinese firms Clover Biopharmaceuticals and Sinovac Biotech, and Belgium-based Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

LIST: Target trial sites in PH for Janssen, Clover, Sinovac vaccines

JE