Rushing to the cure

The recent death of former Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr., came on the heels of news that former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim had also passed. While some people do survive their battle with COVID, for the rest of us, that’s just a risk we can’t afford. And not just for ourselves either, but for everyone we love and care about. Which is why the news that the President had put us on a fast track to receiving a Russian developed vaccine has buoyed the hopes of many people. And as always, the President vowing to be the first to take the risk – well, that’s a big thing for many, many people. But it worries me. Bloomberg is now reporting that the Association of Clinical Trials Organizations (ACTO) is sounding the alarm. Apparently, the Russian vaccine – developed by Gamaleya Institute – has only been tried on a hundred human subjects. Obviously, international testing standards require much more rigorous testing. However, despite the apparent rush to a cure, the vaccine looks all set to be made available to the public soon. And our own President seems to be betting big that we Filipinos will get first crack at it.

“Why are all corporations following the rules, but Russian ones aren’t? The rules for conducting clinical trials are written in blood. They can’t be violated. This is a Pandora’s Box and we don’t know what will happen to people injected with an unproven vaccine.” ACTO Executive Director Svetlana Zavidova

In case you didn’t know it yet, Pandora’s box is a metaphor for something unknown that could be the source of a whole lot of sh*t. So that might be the vaccine that the President announced we would be getting soon. And already, hyperpartisans are taunting people who are expressing doubt about the vaccine. Which is unfair, I think. Beyond all political color, approving an under-tested vaccine is simply too big of a gamble. Sure, the pay-off could be massive if you bet right, but if you bet wrong, the price you have to pay will be just as massive. And in this case, the President could be rolling the dice on his life – and that of every Filipino who gets his hands on the vaccine.