Senator Cynthia Villar demanded an immediate FDA-approved vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) to address the current outbreak that has severely affected the country’s hog industry.
During a September 9 public hearing on ASF, Villar expressed dismay over the slow, weak and lack of scientific response of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) on this problem of the swine industry.
The chair of the Senate agriculture and food panel emphasized the urgent need for vaccine as a long-term solution to the effects of ASF.
“The spread of ASF could have been mitigated if the country had implemented a first border control system. Additionally, it was highlighted that the availability of FDA-approved vaccines for hogs could have played a crucial role in preventing the outbreak,” the senator from Las Piñas said.
Meanwhile, the FDA underscored the need for the vaccines to undergo clinical testing to obtain a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).
There are four vaccines for ASF undergoing local clinical trials, according to Director General Samuel Zacate.IMT
