India’s Bharat firm applies for Phl EUA

India’s Bharat Biotech has applied for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its COVID-19 vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported yesterday.

“They submitted an application this (Thursday) morning and pre-evaluation is ongoing,” FDA director general Eric Domingo said.

Bharat’s local distributor, Ambica International Corp. and Family Vaccine (FVSC), filed the application for Covaxin, which previously secured EUA in India.

Aside from Covaxin, four other COVID vaccines have applied for EUA in the country.

India recently launched

the world’s biggest vaccination drive using two locally developed vaccines, including Covaxin.

So far, only the vaccine developed by US company Pfizer has been granted EUA by FDA. The rest of the applications are still undergoing evaluation.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said authorities have to be strict in evaluating EUA applications to ensure that only safe and efficacious vaccines are used in the country.

Meanwhile, Sen. Christopher Go has expressed support for a Senate resolution allowing local government units to buy their own

COVID-19 vaccines for constituents. With the guidance of the national government, Go said that this should expedite the process of procuring sufficient supply of safe and effective vaccines for all Filipinos.

He said giving LGUs authority to purchase FDA-approved vaccines would help the country undertake a massive vaccination program. He said many LGUs have enough funds to make their own purchase.

Go said the problem now is supply as some affluent countries have purchased more than what they need.

“They were able to make downpayment a few months ago because they wanted to make sure. We haven’t paid anything or signed any supply agreement, but there’s much fighting and mistrust,” he said in Filipino.

Go appealed to the executive and legislative branches of the government for greater unity so the country can start the rollout of its vaccination program.

Go also emphasized that the Senate, which is investigating the government’s vaccine program, wants to assure the public that there would be transparency in the procurement of vaccines.

“What we want is transparency, as a legislator, as a senator, we want transparency. We don’t want the people to doubt and we don’t want even a single peso to go to waste,” he said. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano