The BOC again warned the public against fake COVID-19 vaccines.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) again warned the public against the proliferation of fake COVID-19 vaccines, which may be locally manufactured.
In a statement, the Bureau of Customs said that it supported the call of the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strongly warn the public against fake COVID-19 vaccines in light of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to import COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the bureau, unscrupulous companies might take advantage to profit during the coronavirus pandemic by illegally manufacturing fake COVID-19 vaccines locally as those fake COVID-19 vaccines were “injurious” to public safety and health.
READ ALSO: President Duterte Threatens Dealers Of Fake COVID-19 Vaccines
“With the standing directive by the national government to authorize private sectors to import COVID-19 vaccines, unscrupulous entities might take advantage to profit during the pandemic by illegally manufacturing counterfeit vaccines locally. These counterfeit vaccines are injurious to public health and safety,” the Customs said.
To recall, President Duterte ordered vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. to sign any and all documents that would allow the private sector to import COVID-19 vaccines “at will” and “whatever amount they want to bring in.”
READ ALSO: President Duterte Allows Private Sector To Import COVID-19 Vaccines “At Will”
In line with this, the bureau urged the public to receive inoculations only in government-accredited hospitals and clinics as strongly encouraged by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The bureau also called on the public to report any unauthorized distribution, sale, and administration of fake COVID-19 vaccines and counterfeit drugs.
Also, the bureau assured the expeditious processing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and other medical supplies.
READ ALSO: BOC Warns Public On Locally-made Fake COVID-19 Vaccines In PH
To date, the bureau said that it had cleared and released 15,715 shipments of Personal Protective Equipment and 5 shipments of COVID-19 vaccines with over 2.5 million doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
The bureau also said that it remained in close coordination with the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration to expedite the processing of authorized COVID-19 vaccine importations in order to ensure public safety and to prevent the entry of smuggled vaccines.
Last February, the bureau warned the public against locally-manufactured fake COVID-19 vaccines in the country as it could become a “public health threat” if enterprising syndicates followed through with alleged plans to manufacture it.
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