THE Cebu City Council is still awaiting the final draft of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Cebu City Government and WestVac Biopharma Co. Ltd.
The MOA is necessary for WestVac Biopharma to restart its clinical trial of its vaccine for Covid-19 in the city. It was the condition set by Acting Mayor Michael Rama.
This was revealed by City Councilor David Tumulak, who was the first to discover the clinical trial conducted at a private hospital in Cebu City without the permission of the Cebu City Government.
Rama told SunStar Cebu that he had already read the pre-draft of the MOA, but he could not give his go signal for the document because the City Council had yet to approve it and give him authority to sign the document.
“I have already seen it, and I do not have the problem anymore. I have read the joint undertaking and it’s very substantial,” Rama said.
On October 18, Rama ordered the clinical trial of the WestVac Covid-19 vaccine stopped as it was not authorized by the City Government and residents of Cebu City were involved in the study.
The acting mayor issued the order after Tumulak delivered a privilege speech last October 13 informing the City Council about the clinical trial. A resident who informed Tumulak said they were given money after being vaccinated.
Dr. Jemela Anne Osorio-Sanchez, head of the team conducting WestVac’s clinical trials of its vaccine in Cebu City, apologized before the City Council during a regular session last October 20, admitting “oversight” in not informing them about the tests. Sanchez and a representative from WestVac Biopharma also apologized separately to Rama prior to the session. (with KAL)