The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will soon release its decision on the application for emergency use authorization (EUA) of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo told senators during a hearing on vaccines that they are finalizing it and it will be out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Pfizer and its partner BioNtech filed for the EUA in the Philippines before Christmas last year.

As for AstraZeneca, Domingo said they will be able to finish it by the middle of January since they only filed the EUA last week.

Once the DFA approves the EUA, only the national government for now could procure it as vaccines cannot be purchased directly by local government units and the private sector without a full marketing license.

It was late last year when President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order which gave EUA powers to the FDA. This means the usual approval process which usually lasts six months is now reduced to about 21 days.

However, supply to the Philippines of the vaccines would still depend on the availability of its stocks. (ES)