Virology institute, vax manufacturing capacity ‘crucial’ for PH

MANILA – The Philippines investing in its own virology institute and vaccine manufacturing capacity is crucial to effectively respond to future pandemics and other viral diseases.

At the Laging Handa public briefing on Wednesday, Dr. Ted Herbosa, medical adviser of the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19, said during the start of the pandemic, the country had difficulty sourcing vaccines and medical supplies that would protect Filipinos against the highly transmissible coronavirus infection.

“During the pandemic itself, nahirapan tayong mag-source ng vaccines because the vaccines na pinu-produce noong ibang countries ay ginagamit din nila so hindi pa nila maibenta at ma-export sa atin so medyo naantala iyong vaccine program natin (During the pandemic itself, it was difficult for us to source vaccines because other countries were also using their own produced vaccines so they could not sell and export to us, thus, our vaccine program was slightly delayed),” Herbosa said in an interview.

“So talagang nakita natin na part of national security ang mayroon tayong sariling virology institute at vaccine manufacturing (So we really see that this is part of national security to have our own virology institute and vaccine manufacturing),” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier urged Congress to enact a law creating the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP), which was lauded by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, saying its establishment would also address other viral diseases as well.

In June last year, the House of Representatives approved on second reading House Bill 9559, which proposes the creation of VIP under the DOST, with a proposed fund of about PHP983 million.

Herbosa recalled the government also had to endure a long turnaround time for Covid-19 testing at the onslaught of the pandemic since the samples must be sent abroad for results.

“Sa umpisa nitong pandemya, pinapadala pa natin all the way to Australia, at napakatagal nung turnaround time; so nahuli talaga tayo. Whereas, kung mayroon tayong Virology Institute, nandudoon na iyong kapabilidad para makapag-test ng bagong emerging infectious diseases (At the start of the pandemic, we have to send it all the way to Australia, so we are lagging because of the long turnaround time. Whereas if we have a Virology Institute, we could have the capability to test new emerging infectious diseases),” he said.

Herbosa said there is a need to institutionalize the establishment of a virology center in the country.

“Iyong manpower, iyong mga scientists, iyong mga virologists na gagawing experts diyan ay makakatulong hindi lang sa human diseases, pati sa plant and animal diseases magagamit din iyan (The manpower, scientists and those virologists who will act as experts can also help not only in studying human diseases, but also we can tap them for plant and animal diseases),” he added.

Fully capable

In the same public briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the VIP will work hand-in-hand with the Department of Health in disease prevention, control, and surveillance—with the VIP to focus mostly on the study of viruses and the manufacturing of vaccines.

“Ang pangunahin po na magiging benepisyo sa ating mga mamamayan kung tayo ay magkakaroon nitong (The primary benefit that our population will get if we have the) VIP is we’ll able to produce our locally manufactured vaccines also for our children which is part of the National Immunization Program,” Vergeire said.

She said Duterte pushed the creation of the VIP to save resources by avoiding procurement from other countries.

The country, she said, is fully capable of producing such vaccines through scientists from the University of the Philippines National Institute of Health (UP-NIH) and the DOST and its “Balik (Return)-Scientist” program.

“Kayang-kaya po ng ating bansa, kayang-kaya po ng ating mga scientists dito po sa Pilipinas ito pong paggawa nitong mga sinasabing vaccines. And also, not only that but also studying ito pong mga iba’t-ibang organismo na nagku-cause ng mga sakit dito sa ating bansa (Our country can do this, our scientists here in the Philippines can create vaccines. Not only that but also studying different organisms that cause sickness in our country),” Vergeire said.

With the help of the Food and Drug Administration, she said the VIP will be fully capable of producing its own vaccines that are comparable to international standards through proper research.

“At kung ano po iyong mga kinakailangan na mga equipment na highly technical ay magkakaroon din tayo sa ating bansa (And whatever highly-technical equipment are needed we’ll have) so that we will be at par with other countries,” Vergeire said.

In September 2021, Vergeire assured that the creation of the VIP will not result in the abolition of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), noting that the RITM will be put under the VIP to “broaden their expertise in research and the creation of vaccines.”