‘Private firms may not sell Covid-19 jabs in pandemic’

ALEADER of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said the recently approved Covid-19 vaccination program bill prohibits private entities, particularly pharmaceutical firms, from selling the life-saving shots during the crisis.

In a news conference, House Committee on Economic Affairs Junie Cua, one of the principal authors and sponsors of vaccine bill, said private companies are only allowed to procure the vaccines for the inoculation of their employees.

“Right now there is an abnormal supply situation. So if they [private entities] buy, it is only for them first and cannot be sold to others,” he said.

Vaccines against Covid-19 that are entering the country are given emergency use authority (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after thorough and stringent assessment. EUA is given as the FDA acknowledges the status of the vaccines, being unlicensed and underdeveloped.

President Duterte had earlier certified the measure as urgent, thus allowing the House to approve the bill on second and third readings last Monday. The Senate passed its own version—senate Bill 2057—the following day.

The House later on adopted the Senate version—a move Cua said was necessary and practical to fast-track approval of the measure since it would no longer have to go through the bicameral conference.

“[The House and Senate] were constantly coordinating with each other because this legislation is so important due to limited [we adopted their version],” Cua explained.

Cua said that centralizing procurement of vaccines through the national government is the most efficient way in getting the muchanticipated jabs.

With the limited volume of vaccine supply, Cua said the LGUS shall coordinate with the national government—through the DOH and Ntf—for organized procurement of vaccines.

Cua also clarified that although the bill allows procurement and purchases of vaccines to forego public bidding during a pandemic, these are still subject to an audit.

The proposed “Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021” would appropriate a P500-million augmentation to the Philhealth as an indemnity fund.

The bill stipulates that the fund would be utilized as compensation in case of death, permanent disability or confinement following the immunization.

The bill would allow local government units to directly accept donations of Covid-19 vaccines authorized by the FDA. However, these are still subject to inspection by the FDA as and following the guidelines and reportorial requirements of the Department of Health and of the National Task Force Against Covid-19.

Along with these, LGUS would be authorized to make advance payments for their vaccine procurements, create their own lists of vaccine recipients, and directly purchase ancillary supplies for the storage, transport, and administration of Covid-19 vaccines

Those who would be inoculated under the Covid-19 vaccine program will be given a vaccine card, which would serve as a record but not as a requirement to go to work, go to school, or to travel, among other purposes.

The measure now awaits the signature of the President.