Manila Bulletin
‘Don’t ever try bribery,’ FDA head warns; vows ‘objective’ vaccine review
The FDA warned that Sinovac will face significant issues with Philippine approval if they engage in bribery.
FDA Director General Eric Domingo stated that the agency will objectively evaluate Sinovac's vaccine application based solely on submitted scientific data and evidence.
Domingo explicitly warned Sinovac against attempting bribery in the Philippines, stating it would lead to major problems and prevent approval.
This warning comes after a 2016 report detailing Sinovac's founder's admission to bribing regulatory authorities in China to expedite vaccine approvals.
While Sinovac has received approval from the Vaccine Experts Panel, it still requires clearance from the Ethics Board and the FDA before its vaccine can be used in the Philippines.
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News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
The Department of Health (DOH) will investigate bribery allegations against Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech, which is seeking to conduct clinical trials and supply its COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines.
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Sinovac Biotech, a Chinese pharmaceutical company, is facing scrutiny over past bribery allegations as it seeks to supply coronavirus vaccines to the Philippine market.
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Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the Philippine government to prioritize science and transparency in procuring COVID-19 vaccines, not political favor.
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