Philippines troops, ministers get COVID-19 vaccine before approval

By Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales
MANILA, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Some Philippine soldiers and
cabinet ministers have already received COVID-19 vaccine
injections, officials said on Monday, despite an absence of
regulatory approval that the country's health ministry said was
vital to ensure safety.
Interior minister, Eduardo Ano, said some cabinet members
have already received COVID-19 vaccines and army chief,
Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, said some troops had been
vaccinated but the number was not large. Neither said what brand
of vaccine was administered.
The health ministry in a statement said all vaccines must
first be evaluated by experts, and "only vaccines which have
been approved and found to be safe should be administered".
Food and Drug Administration head Rolando Enrique Domingo
said Philippine regulators have yet to approve any COVID-19
vaccine, making any importation, distribution and sale of one
illegal.
Domingo warned the public that unapproved vaccines exposed
them to "all sorts of dangers" and told CNN Philippines that
side effects were possible "especially if you don't know how
these things have been handled".
So far only Pfizer PFE.N has applied for emergency use
approval of its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, while
Sinovac SVA.O , Gamaleya, Johnson & Johnson's JNJ.N Janssen
and Clover's late-stage trial applications have yet to be
approved. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the
ministry had no information about the soldiers' vaccination and
military spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo said there had been no
inoculation sanctioned by the armed forces leadership.
Arevalo said the recipients included members of a special
security unit assigned to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte has not been vaccinated, according to his spokesman,
Harry Roque, who said he had no problem with soldiers being
given the shots and protecting themselves.
Duterte during a televised meeting with health officials on
Saturday said "almost all" soldiers have already been
inoculated.
He said "many", without identifying who, in the Philippines
had received a COVID-19 vaccine developed by China National
Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).
Sinopharm could not be immediately reached for comment.
Asked if the soldiers' vaccination was authorised by the
president's office, Sobejana said: "Well of course, our
president is our commander-in-chief."