PH regulators verifying reports on Sinovac’s alleged ‘bribery history’

Regulators in the Philippines are validating reports accusing Chinese firm Sinovac of a “bribing history” to get fast approval of its vaccines, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday.

A Washington Post reported that Sinovac’s founder and chief executive Yin Weidong admitted in 2016 that the company bribed regulatory authorities in China for $83,000 from 2002 to 2011 to hasten their vaccines’ approval.

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The Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) already approved Sinovac.

Washington Post also reported that at least 20 government officials and hospital administrators admitted they accepted bribes from Sinovac employees from 2008 and 2016 in their testimonies in court.

“We are aware of what is happening. Part of the work is for the VEP to assess the veracity of such report, kung merong katotohahan nito,” Duque said in an online forum.

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“Hindi naman natin masabi kung questionable ba ang pinanggalingan ng ganitong balita, but we will investigate, validate, if this is true. If true, it is up for the VEP to include this in their report,” Duque added.

The DOH chief said that aside from the VEP, the Ethics Board and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would also study the reports alleging Sinovac’s bribing history.

A potential COVID-19 vaccine supplier would need to get the VEP, Ethics Board, and FDA’s approval before their vaccines could be released in the Philippines.

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“That is why they (regulatory agencies) are there para masigurado natin na ‘di tayo mabibiktima ng mga questionable transactions ng Sinovac, kung totoong nangyayari po ‘yan,” Duque added.

PH regulators verifying reports on Sinovac’s alleged ‘bribery history’

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it would release the COVID-19 vaccines approved for the World Health Organization’s () Solidarity Trials this week.

DOST vaccine expert panel council chairperson Dr. Nina Gloriani  named 14 hospital sites that that could be enrolled in the solidarity trials:

  • Philippine General Hospital (lead hospital)
  • Research Institute of Tropical Medicine
  • Manila Doctor’s Hospital
  • San Lazaro Hospital
  • St. Lukes Medical Center – Quezon City
  • St. Lukes Medical Center  – Bonifacio Global City
  • Lung Center of the Philippines
  • The Medical City
  • Makati Medical Center
  • De La Salle Medical Center – Cavite
  • Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center – Cebu City
  • Southern Philippines Medical Center – Davao City
  • Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Western Visayas Medical Center – Iloilo City