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The Ministry of Health released today a video in which it attacks the governor of São Paulo, João Doria (PSDB), for the disclosure of a state immunization plan with a date for the start of vaccination on January 25.
In the video, Elcio Franco, executive secretary of the ministry, says that it is irresponsible to publicize a vaccination date without any vaccine having yet been approved by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) and attacks Doria directly.
“Sir, João Doria, do not play with the hope of thousands of Brazilians, do not sell dreams that you cannot fulfill, promising immunization with a product that does not even have registration or authorization for emergency use,” Franco said. “How to establish a vaccination schedule without knowing if the vaccine will be launched for use, with the certainty of safety and effectiveness?”
He reaffirmed that, in order to begin emergency distribution in Brazil, CoronaVac, a Chinese Sinovac immunizer purchased by the São Paulo government, or any other vaccine, must be approved by one of the four foreign regulatory agencies validated in Brazil: from China, from the United States. , Japan and the European Union.
“I emphasize that, to date, none of the laboratories that are carrying out phase 3 in Brazil has submitted an order to Anvisa. Those who have not registered with the four agencies abroad will not be able to obtain the exceptionality for their use in Brazil It would be irresponsible to give specific dates for the vaccination. ” says the secretary.
Until then, CoronaVac is in phase 3 testing, which attests to the immunizer’s safety and efficacy, and according to the Butantan Institute, which produces the Sinovac vaccine, the studies should be delivered to Anvisa this week.
Public dispute over the vaccine
Vaccination has been a subject of public dispute between President Jair Bolsonaro (no party) and Doria. Since the São Paulo government began negotiating with Sinovac in the middle of the year, Bolsonaro has come out to publicly criticize the “Chinese vaccine.”
In October, Bolsonaro even publicly disapproved of the Minister of Health, Eduardo Pazuello, about the intention to buy 46 million doses of CoronaVac. “The Brazilian people will not be a” guinea pig, “said the president, who called CoronaVac” João Doria’s Chinese vaccine. “
The governor of São Paulo has responded with frequent public demands to the president. After unveiling the state vaccination plan for São Paulo earlier this month, Doria said Bolsonaro “left Brazil” and demanded attitudes from the federal government.
The disclosure of the plan, with a reserve of 4 million doses for other states, generated an uproar between states and municipalities, which clearly displeased the Planalto. In total, 11 states and more than 900 municipalities, according to Doria, decided not to wait for the national plan and sought to get the São Paulo government to declare its intention to buy CoronaVac.
Yesterday, in an apparent assent, CoronaVac appeared as one of the candidate vaccines in phase 3 for use in the PNI (National Immunization Plan). Today, despite criticism, Franco said the government will use the vaccine if it is approved.
I would also like to clarify that the vaccine announced by Butantan, the largest supplier of vaccines of the Ministry of Health, when it is registered and approved by Anvisa, confirming its safety and efficacy conditions, will also be acquired and added to the National Vaccination Plan against covid- 19. Franco declared.
Doria’s staff told the Twitter that the governor will not speak today and should comment on the attacks at the Palácio dos Bandeirantes press conference tomorrow afternoon (13).
STF gave 48 hours to set dates
The government video also has another address besides the governor of São Paulo: the Federal Supreme Court. This Sunday afternoon, Minister Ricardo Lewandowski set a period of 48 hours for the Ministry of Health to clarify the start and expected end of the immunization plan.
The government’s argument is that there is no way to set a date without any vaccine approved by Anvisa.
“It would be irresponsible to give specific dates for vaccination because it depends on registration with a regulatory agency, since we will only know of the total safety when the phase 3 clinical studies are completed,” says Franco, in the video.
Until then, according to the legislation, the only vaccine against covid-19 that could be authorized in an emergency in Brazil based on international agencies is that of Pfizer-BioNTech, approved this weekend in the United States.
