FDA grants EUA to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first to receive such approval in the country.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo stated that the vaccine's benefits outweigh its potential risks and it can be administered to individuals aged 16 and above.

Pfizer country manager Andreas Riedel vowed that the company is committed to making its COVID-19 vaccine available for the Philippines as soon as possible and at a not-for-profit price during the pandemic.

Pfizer's assurance of vaccine supply for the country came a day after the Food and Drug Administration granted the vaccine an emergency use authorization.

The vaccine demonstrated a 95% efficacy rate in clinical trials, with side effects found to be mild to moderate and transient.

Pfizer-BioNTech requires an ultra-cold storage of -70 to -80 degrees Celsius, a facility that only Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Davao City can currently provide.

Pfizer vaccines are anticipated to be among the first to arrive in the Philippines in February through the COVAX facility, and the government is also in negotiations with Pfizer for up to 40 million doses.