Vaccine Update: China's Sinovac Applies for Human Trials in Philippines

China's Sinovac has sought regulatory approval to be part of the Philippines' coronavirus vaccine human trials, the head of the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.

Sinovac passed a pre-screening at the Philippines' vaccine search committee and is undergoing FDA review, said the agency's Director General Eric Domingo. The FDA will check if the vaccine meets the country's requirements, he said in a televised briefing.

Should the vaccine pass the FDA review, it will be part of Phase 3 trials, Domingo said. Phase 3 is the penultimate step in a four-tier human testing standard. The Philippines is also eyeing vaccines from Russia and the U.S.

President Rodrigo Duterte had in the past expressed preference for vaccines from China and Russia. He also told the UN that the world must ensure that the poor get access to the vaccine.

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