Red Cross: No sale of vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) yesterday denied reports that it is selling a COVID-19 vaccine to the public.

In a statement, PRC governor Ma. Carissa Coscolluela clarified that PRC chairman Richard Gordon never announced that they would be selling vaccines.

The PRC governor made the statement after the publication of reports that the PRC would sell COVID-19 vaccines.

Gordon said at a news forum on Monday that the humanitarian organization would be offering two doses of the Moderna vaccine for P3,500. On the same day, the senator said the PRC also ordered Moderna shots through private-sector channels.

“What he said was that the PRC procured Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and intends to vaccinate Red Cross members and donors, who are also our members, who are willing to bear the cost of the vaccines, which was $26.83 (approximately P1,282.86) per dose, plus an administration fee that covers costs for syringes, gloves, PPEs, meals and allowances of our doctors and nurses, and other essential expenses related to the vaccination,” Coscolluela said.

She said Gordon only emphasized the need to act fast and vaccinate as many people as possible.

“The PRC is a humanitarian organization and is not in the business of selling any vaccines. It does not charge for anything that it got free,” Coscolluela pointed out.

The Food and Drug Administration approved earlier this month the use of the vaccine Moderna in the government’s COVID-19 immunization program, stressing that the emergency use authorization was not a marketing authorization and cannot be used to market Moderna commercially.