FDA says health workers can still choose Sinovac vaccine

The FDA clarified that health workers can still choose to receive the Sinovac vaccine despite the agency's recommendation against its use for them due to lower efficacy rates.

FDA chief Rolando Enrique Domingo stated that the recommendation was based on Sinovac's clinical trial data showing a 50.4% efficacy rate among health workers treating COVID-19 patients.

The FDA's emergency use authorization for Sinovac was limited to individuals aged 18 to 59, as the data did not sufficiently support its use for health workers.

Domingo emphasized that the FDA's recommendation does not make the use of Sinovac illegal for health workers, but rather advises them to be aware of the lower efficacy rate.

Former health secretary Janette Garin urged the FDA to review its decision not to recommend Sinovac to health workers, citing global usage and the vaccine's role in preventing severe disease and death.