Sinopharm has applied for EUA – Palace

Malacañang said Chinese drug maker Sinopharm has applied for an emergency use authorization (EUA) for its coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the announcement as the government rolled out its vaccination program on Monday, March 1.

In a press briefing in Manila, Roque said Sinopharm has already applied for EUA.

But Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it has not yet seen the EUA application of Sinopharm for its coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.

“As of Friday wala pa (there’s none). I’m not sure if they filed online,” said FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo in a text message.

The FDA has given the Presidential Security Group (PSG) a compassionate permit to use 10,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine last month.

The agency has so far granted an EUA to three vaccine manufacturers: the American drugmaker Pfizer, British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, and China-based Sinovac Biotech.

The FDA is currently reviewing the EUA application of other companies such as Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute and India’s Bharat Biotech.

Roque said Malacañang's legal department is studying if President Duterte, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), can be vaccinated with Sinopharm under compassionate use.

President Duterte has agreed to be vaccinated in public but Roque said the President prefers to receive the vaccine manufactured by Sinopharm.