A top scientist has said that the Philippines is one of few countries in Asia that does not produce COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr. Annabelle Villalobos, a consultant of Johnson & Johnson Biopharmaceuticals, said during a DOST webinar that ” this is something we need to work on in preparation for another pandemic.”
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Villalobos said as the country is not yet ready to manufacture its own vaccines it can start with a simpler process of formulating, filling, and packaging the vaccines. She said that for this the active product ingredients will be imported from other countries.
She said that this could create at least 250 jobs for scientists, engineers, and personnel in the allied fields.
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Villalobos said the manufacturing of vaccines needs a lot of expertise that is higher and more specialized than the formulation, filling, and packaging.
She added that if the country would become a filling facility it would be easier to train the workforce to produce the vaccines. (AW)
