Sotto: Nothing wrong on immunization of soldiers using unauthorized COVID-19 vaccine

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday said the supposed inoculation of some Filipino soldiers using a COVID-19 vaccine which was unauthorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should not be an issue at all.

"I don’t think there’s anything wrong about that. There is no law that says you cannot take any medicine or vaccine that FDA has not approved," Sotto said in a message to reporters.

"Last I recall, there is even no law vs. suicide. So, what's the fuss?" he added.

Further, the Senate leader surmised that the government did not shell out any public fund for the said immunization of some members of the military.

"I don’t think [the] government paid for those vaccines they used. I’m sure they were given and administered for free," he said.

He added that if the vaccines had been donated, it should be the donors, not the government, which the critics must question.

President Rodrigo Duterte disclosed on Saturday that many Filipinos, including some from the military, have already received a COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm even as it has yet to get approval from the FDA.

Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana confirmed on Monday that some military officials and non-commissioned officers have already been vaccinated against the virus.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also said that some Cabinet members as well as personnel from the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were likewise inoculated.

The vulnerable sector should have been prioritized in the immunization against the novel disease, Senator Imee Marcos said in response.

"Walang gulangan sa vaccine! As asserted earlier, the principle should be 'highest risk, first'—not 'best konek, mauna,'" she said in a separate message to reporters.

To date, the country's FDA has yet to issue an authorization to any brand of COVID-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health maintained that "all vaccines should undergo the evaluation and regulatory process of our regulatory and expert bodies" and warned that the use of unregistered products may pose harm to a person's health and safety.

"The administration of approved vaccines is also accompanied by strict monitoring of all vaccine recipients in order to ensure proper management of possible effects," it added.

FDA director general Eric Domingo also said that while recipients of unauthorized products may not be held liable, cases may be filed against those who import, distribute, and administer these drugs and vaccines without approval from the regulatory body.

"For the consumer, there's nothing we can do about it. It's a personal choice but it is illegal to import an unregistered product, and to distribute it, and for a doctor, medical practitioner or any health personnel to administer unlicensed drugs in the country. So, if we do catch any of them, we will be filing cases against them," he said. 

Republic Act 9711 or the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009” prohibits the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of health products without proper authorization from the FDA.

A person who violates this law may suffer the penalty of imprisonment ranging from one year but not more than 10 years, or a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P500,000, or both. If the violator is a manufacturer, importer, or distributor of any health product, the penalty of at least five years imprisonment but not more than 10 years, and a fine of at P500,000 but not more than P5 million shall be imposed.—AOL, GMA News