Astrazeneca came up with requirement of donating COVID-19 jabs to gov't — Galvez

MANILA, Philippines — (Updated 7:24 p.m.) The private sector is not required to donate half of the COVID-19 shots they will buy to the national government, the country's vaccine czar clarified Tuesday.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief and vaccine car Carlito Galvez, Jr. said only British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca came up with the requirement because of its corporate principle on equitable access and non-privileged access.

"The 50% to be procured by the private sector will be given to the marginalized targeted population of the public sector. They (AstraZeneca) are the ones who demanded it, not the national government," Galvez said at a press briefing.

"We do not have that in our agreements with Novavax, Sinovac, or other companies... Only AstraZeneca demanded the 50%," he added.

Some private groups have signed supply agreements with AstraZeneca to ensure that their employees would have access to the COVID-19 jabs. The private sector initiative "A Dose of Hope” project has signed agreements for the supply of 17 million shots of AstraZeneca jabs.

The government allows private companies to buy COVID-19 shots but the procurement should be done through a tripartite agreement with the national government and vaccine manufacturers.

Under the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, private firms and local governments can purchase vaccines that have secured emergency use authorization from the Philippine Food and Drug Administration. Officials have said a tripartite deal is needed because manufacturers require that the national government cover indemnification before finalizing any deal and that available vaccines are only covered by the EUA and are not yet available commercially.