(Eagle News) – The Philippines said it is looking forward to the acquisition of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccines after the Lancet medical journal review that showed the Gamaleya vaccine was 91.6 percent effective against COVID-19.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that they are currently securing additional vaccine doses from Russia’s Gamaleya Institute.
“Sa ngayon po, ongoing po ang negotiation natin and we are asking for some doses pero iyon po, sinasabi ko po sa inyo na sa ngayon po ongoing ang negotiation ay hindi ko po masasabi iyong details po,” he said in a Laging Handa press briefing on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Galvez also noted that the positive review from The Lancet journal of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine was “welcome news.”
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal often cited in medical and professional circles.
“Maganda po ito, welcome news po ito considering that the news came from The Lancet, very peered review and nakita rin po natin na itong Sputnik ay nagagamit na rin po sa more than 18 countries sa ngayon at based doon sa report ng DFA ay talagang iyong mga third world countries ay they are working with the Sputnik and also with the Chinese vaccine,” Galvez said.
The Lancet said that the Sputnik V vaccine was not only effective against COVID-19 for all age groups, but is also considered safe.
“The trial results show a consistent strong protective effect across all participant age groups,” the Lancet said.
-DOH welcomes Lancet’s positive review of Sputnik V-
The Department of Health said that this was very good news for the Philippines.
Sputnik V is one of the seven COVID-19 vaccines which the Philippines is securing for its mass vaccination.
It is also among the vaccines which have applied for emergency use authorization in the Philippines, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA Director General General Eric Domingo in January said the EUA application of Gamaleya’s Sputnik V vaccine is still being reviewed.
But the Lancet Journal’s positive review of the Sputnik V vaccine would be a factor in the Philippine expert panel’s review of the vaccine.
“Magandang development, hindi lang po para sa ating bansa,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a Laging Handa press briefing on Feb. 3.
The Philippines as well as other countries would benefit from a high efficacy rate of the Sputnik V vaccine which can be stored even at temperatures between 2 degrees to 8 degrees Celsius, considered normal refrigerator temperature.
The 91.6 percent efficacy puts Sputnik V at par with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and Moderna vaccine which both have over 90 percent efficacy. But unlike the latter two which require ultra cold storage of negative 70 degrees Celsius (for Pfizer) or negative 25 degrees Celsius (for Moderna), Sputnik can be stored in ordinary refrigerator temperature.
“Lahat po, sa globally, would benefit kung may mga ganitong bakuna with this kind of efficacy. Pero katulad po ng lagi nating sinasabi bago tayo maghusga at bago natin mapapasok sa ating bansa, kailangan dumaan sa ating regulatory process so that we can doubly ensure na ito ay ligtas at magiging epektibo nga para sa ating populasyon,” Vergeire said.
“So, ito pong 91% na efficacy and 100% protection, ito po ay magandang balita at sana nga po tayo ay magkaroon ng ganitong bakuna rin kasama ng mga ibang bakuna to provide additional protection for our population,” she said.
As early as last year, Russia had promised that it would provide needed vaccine doses for the Philippines.
President Rodrigo Duterte also said in October that Russia plans to put up a pharmaceutical facility in the country to enable the Philippines to have easier access of the vaccines it was developing against COVID-19.
(Eagle News Service)
