The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its green light to mix-and-match clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines, an official said on Friday, November 19.

At the Laging Handa press briefing aired on state-run PTV4, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said the FDA approved on Tuesday, November 16, the clinical trial on combining different COVID-19 vaccine brands.

The clinical trials will involve 3,000 participants.

“The trial also started to screen participants the following day at a trial site in Marikina,” Guevara said in Filipino.

In May, the DOST said it would mount two vaccine trials in 2021. The first would look into the possibility of mixing vaccine brands in a two-dose regimen and the use of a COVID-19 vaccine booster. The second would study the performance of vaccines in a real-world setting. 

Mixing COVID-19 vaccines is eyed to address several issues with vaccination rollouts, such as limited and erratic supply of particular brands, as well as the efficacy of some shots. If found to be effective, mixing shots could provide flexibility in global vaccination efforts. 

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PH open to adopt ‘mix and match’ vaccine findings from other countries

If proven effective, the mixing of vaccine brands would benefit the Philippines, where the supplies of particular vaccine brands vary.

The dry run of the mix-and-match clinical trials started in late October. – Rappler.com