Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director general and Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said Thursday a COVID-19 vaccine could be available by the end of 2020.
Domingo said in an interview with GMA News’ Unang Balita that vaccines against the deadly virus are being developed by the US, London, China, and Russia. He added the COVID-19 vaccines are already in the Phase 3 trial.
“Well, nandyan po ang posibilidad. Hindi naman siguro October kundi by end of the year,” he said.
(Well, there is a possibility. Maybe not October but by the end of the year.)
The FDA chief said the Phase 3 trial could be completed in two to three months.
“Kapag may mga nakita tayo, depende sa resulta, makita talaga na safe and effective after the Phase 3, then it’s really possible na before the end of the year meron nang bakuna na magpaparehistro, hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi sa ibang mga bansa,” he said.
(If we see some, depending on the result, if we really see that it is safe and effective after Phase 3, then it is really possible that before the end of the year there will be a vaccine that will register, not only in the Philippines but in other countries.)
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Wednesday the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine is still uncertain despite its recent development in Russia.
“Hindi pa po natin masabi kasi nasa Phase 3 pa lang ng clinical trials. Makikita po natin kung paano magpo-progress ito,” Vergeire told Unang Hirit when asked on vaccine’s availability by December.
Also read:Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine not automatically approved in PH – FDA exec
FDA: COVID-19 vaccine could be available by end of 2020
President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that Russia became the first country to register a COVID-19 vaccine after less than two months of human testing.
Gamaleya National Research Center developed the Sputnik V vaccine, and it was officially registered to Russia’s Health Ministry, Putin told a meeting of members of the government in Moscow.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier thanked and accepted the offer of Russia to supply the Philippines with COVID-19 vaccines, adding he hopes for a COVID-free Christmas celebration in the country.
“Hindi pa po nakakapaglabas ng resulta ang Phase 3 ng clinical trials rito, although sinasabi nila na maganda at okay naman siya. Kailangang antayin po natin ang magiging resulta,” Vergeire said of the Russian vaccine.