THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said controlled trials for the first 150,000 doses of AVAC African swine fever (ASF) vaccines from Vietnam will be rolled out in August to September.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the use of AVAC ASF vaccines, which secured a certificate of product registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month, will be voluntary and will initially offered for free to commercial farms, semi-commercial farms and clustered backyard farms under strict supervision.
The DA said the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) is finalizing the guidelines on the controlled use of ASF vaccines, with public consultations to follow.
“After this rollout, BAI will evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy before endorsing it to the FDA for final approval and registration for commercial use. This vaccine procurement demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to safeguard the swine industry and enhance national food security amid the challenges of ASF,” Tiu Laurel said in a briefing in Quezon City yesterday.
Around P350 million has been allocated to procure 600,000 doses. The rollout will start in areas vastly affected by the disease particularly Batangas and Mindoro.
The vaccines will be administered to grower and fattener pigs.
Samuel Zacate, FDA director general, said the AVAC ASF vaccine underwent rigorous trials and screenings.
Zacate said there are no other applicants for product registration of ASF vaccines.
However, Zacate said one ASF vaccine brand is conducting clinical trials but cannot be considered an applicant for registration.
