By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores

PHOTO: Daily Tribune

A lawmaker from the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan expressed hopes the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute can be produced in the Philippines after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the jab.

“I am hoping that proposals to set up a manufacturing hub in the Philippines will push through because this will not only boost our vaccine efforts but also contribute to our capability to produce our own vaccines not only for COVID-19 but for other diseases as well,” SJDM Representative Florida “Rida” Robes, who also serves as the Chairperson of the House Committee on People Participation, said in a statement.

“I am so happy that Sputnik has finally been given EUA by the FDA. Sputnik V will be a great addition to our vaccine efforts so we can cover not only 20 percent of our population but all Filipinos,” Robes added, lauding the FDA’s decision to grant the vaccine a EUA.

On Friday, the FDA granted a EUA for Sputnik V, making it the fourth vaccine candidate to secure a EUA in the Philippines.

FDA Director-General Eric Domingo said that based on interim data from the ongoing Stage 3 clinical trials, the Sputnik V vaccine is 91.6% effective in preventing COVID-19.


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