Philippines Likely to Join Russia Vaccine Trials Later This Year

Philippine vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said the nation is still likely to join final-stage human trials for Russia’s Covid-19 shot this year, which developers said Wednesday has 92% efficacy rate in preventing infections.

The developer of the Sputnik V vaccine -- which has already started Phase 3 human trials and which the Philippines was expected to join in October -- is already in talks with a local clinical research organization so that the tests can start once approved by the country’s Food and Drug Administration, Philippine Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a briefing with Galvez on Wednesday.