Government will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with local manufacturers of vaccines against the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) where the former will commit to purchase products of the latter.
The MOA on advanced market commitment being planned follows the signing on Wednesday of a joint memorandum circular (JMC) to give local vaccine manufacturers access to the green lane, which facilitates the permitting process for the establishment and operation of “bulk import, fill and finish COVID-19 manufacturing facilities in the Philippines.
Both initiatives are aimed at attracting investments in local production of vaccines in the Philippines.
The JMC was signed Wednesday by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) together with the Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF-COVID19).
The JMC titled “Establishment of a Green Lane for Securing Permits, Licenses and Authorizations for the Establishment and Operation of a Bulk Import, Fill and Finish Local Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Manufacturing Facility and For the Registration for Availment of Incentives” states that manufacturing facilities will follow the bulk import, fill, and finish model.
“Bulk supplies of vaccines will be imported from abroad and the local companies will fill and package vials locally for distribution,” the JMC read.
Agencies involved in the permitting process such as the FDA shall follow the green lane’s guidelines “for the use of facilitated registration and evaluation pathway for permits, licenses, and authorizations” including applications for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
The green lane also mandates that applications for a license to operate (LTO) as a vaccine manufacturer shall take no more than 20 working days.
The green lane enables pharmaceutical companies to put up manufacturing facilities within 10 months.
Local vaccine manufacturers may avail of the incentives applicable under the law.
