A senior executive of Sinovac, one of the makers of China’s leading vaccine candidates, said the firm would be transparent on the results of its clinical tests as it assured the Philippines it would provide “affordable” vaccines.
“We will be happy to share the results of our clinical trials when they become available,” said Sinovac Biotech senior director of global strategy and business development Helen Yang in an interview with ANC cable news channel.
Yang downplayed concerns over new data from Brazil showing the Chinese vaccine had an efficacy rate of only 50.4 percent.
“(The) trials in Brazil (were) conducted among health workers who are more exposed to the virus,” she said.
“Trials are not ‘apples to apples’ because of difference in protocols, targeted populations…Over a million doses of the Sinovac vaccine already administered in China. I believe some people have received two doses already,” Yang added.
She said compared to other brands, Sinovac’s vaccine could be stored at higher temperatures, thus requiring only a standard refrigerator at temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, and can remain stable for up to three years. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, on the other hand, require cold freezers at temperatures of up to -80 degrees Celsius.
“We plan to start supplying COVID-19 vaccines to PH in February,” Yang said while acknowledging that Sinovac had yet to secure an emergency use authorization from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Authority.
For his part, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said there was no reason to fear China’s Sinovac, adding that most of the things used by Filipinos were already made in China.
“If I were you, get vaccinated because it’s better for you to have protection than none at all,” he said in a radio interview Friday.
“Do not worry because in truth, almost everything you use in your daily lives are made in China. That’s the reality,” Roque added.
