COVID-19 vaccine by yearend possible: FDA

August 13, 2020

A vaccine to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) could  be forthcoming by the end of the year, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In an interview Thursday, FDA Director General Eric Domingo said there may be a vaccine sometime December in a "best case scenario".

"The possibility is really there. Maybe not as early as October, but by the end of the year," said Domingo.

"That is the best case scenario. In case one of the vaccines now undergoing clinical trial phase 3 show good results, they might apply for registration before end of the year," he said.

Asked if he is referring to the Russian vaccine recently approved in Moscow, Domingo said not necessarily.

"We have several vaccines that are already in clinical trial phase 3. We have those from China, United States, United Kingdom, and Russia... These vaccines all have the possibilities of completing phase 3 of clinical trials," said Domingo.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin's announced that his country is the first to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, dubbed as "Sputnik V".

President Rodrigo Duterte said he thanked Russia's offer to give the vaccine. He even said  he is willing to be among the participants in the clinical trials.

Domingo said "Sputnik V" will be subjected to strict regulatory scrutiny.

"Until it can complete the process and its safety profile has been cleared to us as well as its positive effects, that is the only time we can approve the vaccine," said Domingo.

Philippine Medical Association President Jose Santiago Jr. said the country'' don't have to rush to get'' the Russian vaccine.

" We have to really see the reports, some trials that they have done. We are really not confident with the vaccine of Russia now,” Santiago said in a separate interview. DMS