Philippines could get Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine starting from January
Russia may start producing Covid-19 vaccines for the Philippines as early as January, the country’s envoy said, but it will all depend on whether local authorities will choose to administer Sputnik V to Filipinos.
The news came after Russia’s sovereign wealth fund on November 13 said that it had inked a deal with South Korea’s biotechnology firm GL Rapha to produce over 150 million doses per year of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.
The South Korean firm is expected to begin production next month, with a roll-out to start in January 2021, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said in a statement. The doses, produced in South Korea, will be intended for global distribution, Reuters cited from the statement.
In the Philippines, local laws require a separate set of regulatory approvals for a vaccine before it can be given to Filipinos. The Food and Drug Administration said this may take 45 to 60 days following approval from a foreign regulator, according to CNN Philippines.
Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said in a November 16 briefing hosted by the government in Manila that the Russian vaccine development has been “quite advanced,” with no adverse side effects or deaths recorded among some 40,000 people who received doses.
Russia even claimed the Sputnik V was 92-per cent effective, supposedly beating the 90 per cent efficacy of US drugmaker Pfizer’s vaccine.
Another six-month trial
The Russian phase three trial will continue for six more months and data from the trial will be published in an international medical journal following a peer review, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said.
The Sputnik V, produced by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, was the first to declare success in developing a Covic-19 vaccine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in August that one of his daughters took it and felt well afterwards. However, the announcement of its approval came even before phase three clinical trials began.
Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippine government has been in talks with several countries and blocs as the Philippines screens which vaccine could be the best in terms of quality, price and availability.
Apart from Russia, talks are ongoing with China and the US, to name a few. Authorities are now targeting to get in touch with France and Israel, which are also working on their own vaccines.
Russia's Sputnik V vaccine (Picture: TASS) Russia may start producing Covid-19 vaccines for the Philippines as early as January, the country's envoy said, but it will all depend on whether local authorities will choose to administer Sputnik V to Filipinos. The news came after Russia’s sovereign wealth fund on November 13 said that it had inked a deal with South Korea’s biotechnology firm GL Rapha to produce over 150 million doses per year of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. The South Korean firm is expected to begin production next month, with a roll-out to start in January 2021, the Russian...
Russia may start producing Covid-19 vaccines for the Philippines as early as January, the country’s envoy said, but it will all depend on whether local authorities will choose to administer Sputnik V to Filipinos.
The news came after Russia’s sovereign wealth fund on November 13 said that it had inked a deal with South Korea’s biotechnology firm GL Rapha to produce over 150 million doses per year of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.
The South Korean firm is expected to begin production next month, with a roll-out to start in January 2021, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said in a statement. The doses, produced in South Korea, will be intended for global distribution, Reuters cited from the statement.
In the Philippines, local laws require a separate set of regulatory approvals for a vaccine before it can be given to Filipinos. The Food and Drug Administration said this may take 45 to 60 days following approval from a foreign regulator, according to CNN Philippines.
Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said in a November 16 briefing hosted by the government in Manila that the Russian vaccine development has been “quite advanced,” with no adverse side effects or deaths recorded among some 40,000 people who received doses.
Russia even claimed the Sputnik V was 92-per cent effective, supposedly beating the 90 per cent efficacy of US drugmaker Pfizer’s vaccine.
Another six-month trial
The Russian phase three trial will continue for six more months and data from the trial will be published in an international medical journal following a peer review, the Russian Direct Investment Fund said.
The Sputnik V, produced by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, was the first to declare success in developing a Covic-19 vaccine. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed in August that one of his daughters took it and felt well afterwards. However, the announcement of its approval came even before phase three clinical trials began.
Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippine government has been in talks with several countries and blocs as the Philippines screens which vaccine could be the best in terms of quality, price and availability.
Apart from Russia, talks are ongoing with China and the US, to name a few. Authorities are now targeting to get in touch with France and Israel, which are also working on their own vaccines.
