(Bloomberg) --
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expects to be inoculated with Russia's coronavirus vaccine by May, as the Southeast Asian nation is set to join clinical trials in October.
A panel of local experts will review the results of Russia's findings on its vaccine before large-scale human trials start in the Philippines, Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said Thursday. Russia will fund the clinical trial in the country, he said.
Industry Body Calls Russian Covid-19 Vaccine a Pandora's Box
Russia's approval of its vaccine for use has triggered skepticism from other countries about its safety. Russia's elite have been given the experimental vaccine as early as April.
The Russian vaccine is likely to get approval from the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration by April next year, Roque said. Russia will also share technology to allow the Philippines to locally manufacture the vaccine, he added.
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