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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate launches Taskforce Edward which has the primary objective to make the COVID-19 vaccines commercially available. Taskforce Edward was named after Dr. Edward Jenner, a British physician who is well-known around the world for his innovative contribution to immunization.

Taskforce Edward aims to make safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines more accessible to the Filipino people. This initiative will help the current administration to shift its focus from COVID-19 crisis management to a more robust recovery of the national economy.

To this effect, the FDA will create a specialized unit of experts in the field to further the purpose and objectives of Taskforce Edward. The said program also seeks to promote the streamlining of the approval and evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines without compromising the efficacy, quality, and safety of the vaccines.

Previously, emergency use authorizations (EUA) were issued to COVID-19 drugs and vaccines subject to certain conditions. Now, with the introduction of Taskforce Edward, COVID-19 vaccines that will be approved and issued with Certificates of Product Registration (CPR) will be more readily accessible to our countrymen in FDA-licensed drug establishments with the assurance that any post-market issues will be addressed through a more rigorous surveillance and pharmacovigilance.

To date, only one COVID-19 vaccine EUA holder has submitted an application for the issuance of CPR.  To this end, Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate encourages the pharmaceutical industry to apply and complete the requirements necessary for the issuance of CPR or a marketing authorization in support of this Taskforce Edward instituted by the FDA.

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