“The public is cautioned against availing such vaccines,” it added.
The health department said this is because there is a need to ascertain that they meet the regulatory standards for drug products.
“Without the DOH-FDA safeguards, there is no way to assure safety and efficacy,” said the DOH.
Instead of risking having such vaccines, the DOH said it would be better for the public to just wait for those approved by the FDA.
“It is better to get mpox vaccine doses in the Philippines once they are legally available, to ensure that you are getting real, safe, and effective vaccines,” said the DOH.
Earlier, the mpox was tagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
At present, the Philippines has 15 active mpox cases as reported by the DOH. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)
