DOH defends Sinovac vaccine’s efficacy rate
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health defended Saturday Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s coronavirus vaccine amid mounting criticism on the government’s continued keenness to buy the shot despite it only being 50% effective according to late-stage trials in Brazil.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reasoned on the Laging Handa briefing aired on state-run People’s Television that the inoculation hit the requirement of the World Health Organization, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Authority for coronavirus shots to have an efficacy rate of at least 50%.
Vergeire, who serves as the department’s spokesperson, also assured that that the vaccine would undergo the country’s regulatory process, which she described as stringent.
“We would still be able to determine and ensure that what would enter the country would be acceptable for our population,” she said partly in Filipino.
“But all must understand that we are trying all avenues,” she added, noting that the government continues to scope for other coronavirus vaccines.
Lawmakers have expressed alarm over reports that Sinovac’s coronavirus shot only has an efficacy rate of 50%, with Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri calling the inoculation “totally unacceptable” and a “total waste” of funds and resources.
Sinovac’s coronavirus shot pales in comparison to the shots of US drugmaker Pfizer Inc. developed with German biotech company BioNTech SE, and US biotech company Moderna Inc., both of which boast efficacy rates of over 90% and have been authorized for emergency use in the US.
However, preliminary tests on 7,371 volunteers in Turkey showed that Sinovac’s vaccine was 91.25% effective, although phase three tests were still incomplete.
Also, unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna’s jabs, Sinovac’s vaccine can be stored at normal fridge temperatures, whereas the former two shots would need to be stored at temperatures lower than freezing point.
The Chinese shot also uses an inactivated virus to provoke an immune response, a technology that has been used before, unlike Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna’s shots which use the novel messenger RNA technology which directs cells to produce the coronavirus’ spike protein to provoke an immune response.
Despite concerns, Vergeire assured that the government will be efficient in procuring vaccines with the goal of protecting the population against COVID-19.
The Philippines is eyeing to buy 25 million doses of Sinovac’s coronavirus vaccine, which is still undergoing late-stage trials.
Unlike its Southeast Asian neighbors Singapore and Indonesia which secured several vaccine supply deals with various manufacturers, the Philippines has only signed one agreement with one supplier, British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca, for 2.6 million doses which was made possible by some 30 private firms who pitched in to buy the shots.
The government eyes to ink a second deal with AstraZeneca for 30 million more doses of its inoculation by next week once it is approved for emergency use by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Health Regulatory Authority.
The country is also eyeing to secure four to 25 million doses of vaccines from Moderna and US biotech company Arcturus Therapeutics Inc., while vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said that US vaccine developer Novavax Inc. has committed to providing the country 30 million doses of its coronavirus shot.
The country, which has the second-worst coronavirus outbreak in the Southeast Asian region following Indonesia, is targeting to vaccinate 24 million people against the virus that causes COVID-19 by next year.
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