Despite the deal to buy COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) explained that the vaccines will not be provided unless it passes the regulatory process.

"If the private sector place that, it seems like they had a initial agreements with these companies, it will not happen until these vaccines have not yet passed our regulatory process," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at the Laging Handa virtual forum on Saturday.

The Philippine government with the private sector pushed on Friday with the signing of a tripartite agreement with AstraZenica of the United Kingdom for at least 2.6 million doses of a vaccine against coronavirus disease to be supplied next year.

Presidential Assistant for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion expressed hope that the vaccines, which will help "1.5 million plus Filipino people" from AstraZenica, will arrive in May or June next year.

This was despite a reported "mistake" during the clinical trials of AstraZenica's potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Asked on the concern regarding the efficacy of AstraZenica's vaccine, Concepcion said, "there's a risk, but the potential solution to the economy definitely outweighs the risk."

"It’s just like they are having this advance commitment just to make sure that we have allocation with this number in private sector. But it will not be provided unless it passed our regulatory process," Vergeire added.

Vergeire said the vaccines will not be allowed to enter the market if it is not authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We have an existing regulatory process and we always say that all of the technologies that will enter will here has to undergo this regulatory process, we have vaccine experts panel and then it goes through the Food and Drug Administration," she said.

"If it has been registered and authorized, it is the free market already it can now be access by the private sector. So yes, the government has regulatory oversight we will not allow this to enter our market if it does not have registration or authority from FDA to make sure that it is safe and effective," she added. Robina Asido/DMS