FDA approves cheaper COVID-19 medicines

CEBU, Philippines —  The Philippine Food and Drugs Administration has approved generic counterparts of high cost, low supply yet high demand high-end COVID-19 medicines.

This was announced by FDA Director-General Enrique Domingo in President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Talk to the People the other day.

These high-end COVID-19 medicines include Tocilizumab and Baricitinib.

“Itong ating mga in demand na gamot, na Tocilizumab at saka yung Baricitinib ay meron na po tayong mga approved generic counterparts po,” said Domingo.

With the approval, Domingo said, the country can now import more of the kind of medicine.

Domingo also said, they were also able to invite more applicants and are currently evaluated.

“Itong mga gamot na to, mas marami ng ma-import sa atin, and the same time, nakapag-invite pa po tayo ng ibang mga applicants so meron pa po tayong ini evaluate pa na ibang possible na supplier ng gamot na ito para ma import po dito sa atin galing sa ibang bansa,” said Domingo.

Aside from that, Domingo also disclosed that aside from expediting the approval of COVID-19 medicines, they are also doing the same for oxygen manufacturers, though the country has not yet reached the critical level of oxygen demand.

“Hindi naman tayo umabot sa critical level, na nag-aagawan na ng supply, but we expedited the approval. Tinutulongan po natin ngayon ang mga oxygen plants para maka manufacture ng mas marami,” said Domingo.

There are some plants seeking for FDA’s approval in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

President Duterte also asked Domingo for updates on “home-grown vaccines”.

Domingo said they are also working it out already.

“Ngayon po yung ating vaccine task force for self-sustainability na pinangungunahan po ng DOST kasama po ang DTI, DOH tuloy-tuloy naman po ang pakikipag-usap nila doon sa mga manufacturers po abroad, para po magkaroon ng technological transfer dito at ang FDA din po ay kasali naman jan sa task group na yan,” said Domingo.

Most likely, by next year, they can go on with the repacking of vaccines and in 2023 the manufacturing of vaccines already in the country.

“Ang plano po natin is by next year, magkaroon po tayo at least ng tinatawag nating ‘fill-and-finish’,” added Domingo.

The fill-and finish, also called fill/finish is a process of filling vials with vaccine and finishing the process of packaging the medicine for distribution.

“Dadalhin po sa Pilipinas yung bulk product tapos dito na po natin ire-repackage dun po sa maliliit na vials..ampules or syringes. Ito na po nauna nating tina-target for next year, and then a year after that, yun na pong manufacturing ng mas ibang klaseng bakuna dito,” Domingo said.

Some European countries along with Cuba, China, and Russia accordingly have already signified interest in partnering with the Philippines on the manufacturing of vaccines here. — GMR (FREEMAN)