Government to start controlled use of ASF vaccine in Q3

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will start its “controlled” vaccination of pigs against African swine fever (ASF) within the third quarter after government regulators approved the monitored release for restricted use of a vaccine from Vietnam.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a certificate of product registration (CPR) on June 11 for the AVAC ASF Live Vaccine from Vietnam, which underwent two years of local clinical trials.

The partial CPR is valid for two years with the vaccine undergoing evaluation every year, according to the FDA.

The rollout of the vaccine is slated in the third quarter and will be under the “strict” supervision of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

The vaccination will be voluntary across grower pig farms from backyard, semi-commercial and commercial levels.

Government authorities emphasized that only growers or pigs for slaughter would be inoculated against ASF for the controlled use.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) targets to procure a total of 600,000 doses of the vaccine but it can only purchase 150,000 doses based on current stocks available.

The DA has earmarked P350 million for the monitored use of the vaccine with the first procurement to be completed as early as Aug. 15.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government would focus first on farms in identified red and pink zones of ASF.

Red zones are areas with confirmed ASF cases while pink zones serve as buffer areas adjacent to infected areas, based on government zoning guidelines.

Tiu Laurel said the impact of the initial vaccination run would only be felt by first half of next year when the vaccinated pigs are already sold in the market for consumption.

The DA noted that the approved ASF vaccine has an efficacy rate of above 80 percent.

“The vaccines would have a huge effect on production because this is a confidence building measure. Once the [vaccinated] pigs are sold next year then it would inspire our stakeholders to reinvest (again),” Tiu Laurel said in a press briefing yesterday.

FDA director-general Samuel Zacate said the rollout of the vaccines increases the country’s “fighting chances” against the fatal ASF disease that has been ravaging the local swine industry since 2019.

“This (vaccine) underwent strict evaluation and process. And when the time comes that it properly and satisfactorily abide with the conditions set then we will give the full CPR (so that it can be commercially sold) in the market,” Zacate said.

As of July 26, about 150 barangays in 45 municipalities across 18 provinces in 11 regions have active ASF cases, based on BAI data.

The ASF, which is not harmful to humans, has infected 5,463 barangays across 74 provinces in 17 regions since it was first confirmed in the country in 2019.