Says vaccines from other US pharma might also be available by early next year to PHL
https://youtu.be/UmP4v5Lo2uU
(Eagle News) — The Philippines has already coordinated with the United States government for the acquisition of the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech which has recently shown promise in preventing COVID-19 infections.
And Pfizer is even willing to sell the vaccines to the Philippine government at a much lower price — at around $5 per shot.
This was revealed by Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez in a virtual press briefing with Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in Malacanang on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Romualdez said that the Philippine government has had talks with Pfizer since three or months ago after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had talked with US Secretary of States Mike Pompeo.
The vaccine was said to be 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 infections based on th Phase 3 clinical trials, according to an announcement from Pfizer and BioNTech.
Romualdez recalled that it was Pfizer which first approached them months ago. The company had even offered to sell their vaccines to the Philippines at a more affordable price — around $5 per shot — since it considered the Philippines as one of the US’ allies.
-Moderna, J&J vaccines could also be forthcoming-
He said that another US pharmaceutical company which has developed a separate COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna, has expressed readiness to supply their vaccines to the Philippines.
“We’ve been talking to them since three/four months ago at iyong Pfizer ang unang-unang lumapit sa atin, dahil kinausap nga ni Secretary Locsin si Secretary Pompeo na kung puwede mayroon tayong access. So, immediately tumawag sa akin ang Pfizer at mayroon silang country manager diyan sa Manila,” the ambassador explained.
“Right now, sila ang pinakanauuna ngayon dito sa Amerika na maa-approve dahil 90% ang efficacy ng Pfizer. Ang maganda diyan eh hindi naman ibibenta sa mga bayan kagaya natin na mahal dahil alam nila na tayo ay simple country, moderate. So, it will be sold to many of their allies specifically in the Philippines na hindi naman gaano kamahal. It will probably be around $5 siguro per shot at maganda na iyon. So, iyan ang unang magandang balita sa Pfizer. Moderna rin ay ready mag-supply sa atin kung gusto natin,” Romualdez said.
-Businesess, other private sector in US to help get funding-
He also noted that some private sector groups, including certain business groups, in the US had expressed readiness to help the Philippines get the funds to purchase the vaccines.
Another US pharmaceutical company had also expressed readiness to provide vaccines to the Philippines. This is Johnson & Johnson which on Oct. 23 announced that it was resuming recruitment for its Phase 3 Ensemble trial of its investigational Janssen COVID-19 vaccine aring to resume recruitment in the pivotal Phase 3 ENSEMBLE trial of its investigational Janssen COVID-19 vaccine
“The other thing, Secretary, lumapit sa amin iyong mga private sector na gusto ring tumulong sa atin diyan sa Manila. Iyong private sector natin diyan, iyong business sector na they are prepared to fund kung kailangan ng tulong ng gobyerno na sila ang mamumuhunan nitong mga vaccines dahil siyempre kailangan rin nila para sa kanilang mga empleyado. So, that’s another side to it, na mayroon tayong mga business sector diyan na handang tumulong sa bayan natin,” Romualdez revealed.
The ambassador also said that Johnson & Johnson, despite the minor setback last month after it paused its Phase 3 trial due to an illness developed in one participant, would likely have an approval of its vaccine by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by December. After this, the approval of the vaccine by the FDA and the Department of the Philippines in the Philippines is expected.
“Iba pa iyong Johnson & Johnson pero medyo nagkaroon sila ng kaunting setback pero sa tingin namin more or less by the end of this year, by December ay na-approve na ng FDA dito, ang inaasahan na lang natin, iyong ating FDA diyan sa Pilipinas at saka sa DOH,” he said.
Romualdez said it was important to ensure that the vaccines the Philippines will get from the US are safe, to prevent another “Dengvaxia” incident. He said that these vaccines could be made available by early next year to the Philippines.
“Siyempre, kailangan nating masigurado na itong mga vaccine maski na approved na dito sa Amerika kailangan approved din diyan sa atin dahil ayaw natin mangyari doon sa nangyari noon sa Dengvaxia,” he said.
“So, tama naman ang ginagawa natin pero sa tingin ko, itong mga vaccine na mabibigyan tayo ng supply galing dito sa Amerika will be available for us by early next year the latest,” he added.
(With a report from Vic Somintac, Eagle News Service)
