RP hopes to avail of AH1N1 vaccine by October

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he hoped the country would avail of the vaccine for the influenza A(H1N1) by October, the probable dates that at least three European developers of the vaccine have posted their notice with the World Health Organization (WHO).

“We would be waiting for their information,” he said in a huddle with reporters after speaking in the Accelerated Hunger Mitigating Program held at the CAP Auditorium here yesterday (Thursday).

Duque said that the suppliers may come from either of the three European pharmaceutical companies Sanofi-aventis, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis. He said that the three companies were in different stages of their clinical testing and developing the vaccine.

“We would expect to avail of the vaccine by either October or November.”

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) would still conduct its own clinical evaluation of the vaccine if it would be made available for the Philippines, he added. Bidding would follow for the DOH's P100 million purchase of the medicine. The amount is part of the department's regular annual budget.

The amount would be equivalent to 100,000 persons at two doses each, he said. “with enough reserve for any other infection of the A(H1N1)”.

He said that the Philippines has listed 3,800 cases as of July 22.

It would be the WHO would inform the DOH of any development “because we already them to place us in the priority list”.

The medicines would be administered twice on the patient, the firs shot to last for the next 12 months before taking a second dose.

The two doses would all cost P500.

The administration of the vaccine would prioritize the sectors “most at risk to contacting and compromising their health” and would focus on the country's health workers and the pregnant women.

“We would also accommodate those with existing conditions like those already suffering from pneumonia and tuberculosis,” he said.

He said that persons who believed they have contacted the A(H1N1) but were not clinically diagnosed because they preferred home care would not be accommodated.

Aside from the A(H1N1), the DOH has also included the monitoring of other influenza viruses as directed by the WHO. These include the H3N2, H5N1 and the influenza B virus.

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