The Philippines has to make do with what is available under a limited environment to combat monkeypox, the Department of Health (DOH) hinted on Thursday.
DOH Undersecretary Beverly Ho said while an existing law does not allow the procurement of smallpox vaccines to be used against monkeypox, the government can use smallpox jabs to treat monkeypox through a “compassionate special permit (CSP) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“As to the mechanism, the EUA (emergency use authorization) and the EO (executive order) provide actually for COVID-19 vaccines. So di natin magagamit ang EUA as a tool for other vaccines. Kung CPR (certificate of product registration) medyo matagal po yan (We can’t use the EUA as a tool for other vaccines. If we wait for a CPR, it will take long),” Ho said.
“Our route now is through CSP that FDA will be issuing for a limited amount of time. Once we get the donations, we can use it as soon as possible,” Ho said.
DOH rules also provide supportive therapy as the main treatment for monkeypox, she said.
“We basically relieve their symptoms and make sure they don’t go into a much worse condition.”
The DOH is in “constant communication with its counterparts” in the United States Agency for International Development for monkeypox treatment and vaccines.
The World Health Organization on Saturday has declared monkeypox to be a global health emergency — the highest alarm it can sound on an infectious disease.