THE Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) lashed back on Friday, July 29, at businessman Joey Concepcion over the expiration of 4.25 million doses of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine, saying the former does not decide on what is “sayang” (wasteful), but rather on science.In a statement, the HTAC said it is not been remiss of its mandate to provide guidance on the health technologies to be used by the Department of Health (DOH), such as the Covid-19 booster shots, as Concepcion wants to impress upon.”The HTAC recommendations are based on scientific evidence. If evidence is found to be lacking, unsatisfactory, or non-existent, then no favorable recommendation can be issued,” said HTAC.”Expiration of vaccines is not enough reason to push for vaccines. For any other health technology, our health professionals prescribe the best choice for the people, not because they are ‘sayang’,” it added.HTAC issued the statement days after Concepcion slammed the DOH and HTAC over their “lack of urgency” in allowing more population to get the second booster shots.Concepcion said the belated decision making of HTAC and the DOH has led to Covid-19 vaccines amounting to P5.1 billion expiring.The expiration of the 4.25 million doses coincided with the decision of the DOH to expand the second booster shot eligible population based on HTAC recommendations.This means that adults aged 50 and older, and individuals 18-49 years of age with comorbidities are now eligible to get second booster shots.But according to HTAC, there were not any delays in their processing as they have been releasing their recommendations in previous instances as soon as possible.It also stressed that they issued their recommendations in accordance with the provisions of the Cvoid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, which states that HTAC recommendations on Covid-19 vaccines must be based on “preliminary data from Phase III clinical trials and World Health Organization recommendations, in the absence of completed Phase III and Phase IV clinical trials.””The HTAC would like to say that health technology assessment is a process based on scientific evidence and other considerations that requires thought and deliberation among the Council members. Procedures are in place to address the emergency situation,” said the panel.”Records will show that HTAC has not been remiss in complying with timelines and the HTAC stands firm in its adherence to the principles of health technology assessment on which it was established,” HTAC said.’Unboosted’ economic frontlinersIn a related development, the DOH questioned why the private sector did not use its Covid-19 doses to boost all eligible economic frontliners.In a statement, the DOH said providing first booster shots to eligible economic frontliners would have prevented the expiration of millions of doses.”At the time these private sector-procured vaccines came in, there were 8.1 million working Filipinos — economic frontliners — already due for their first booster. This demand grew to as high as 14 million economic frontliners, as of July 26, 2022,” said the health department.”Even if all the economic frontliners due for first boosters were given their company shots in December, there would still be around 1.6 million workers waiting for their first boosters after all near-expiring private doses have been consumed,” it added.Citing data from the Zuellig Pharma Cold Chain Warehouse, the DOH noted that beginning December 19, 2021, the private sector received 12.4 million AstraZeneca and Moderna Covid-19 vaccine doses procured through government mechanisms.The doses, it pointed, have expiry dates of July and August 2022.Similarly, the DOH noted that existing policies allow private companies to explore other ways to utilize their stockpile.”Chief medical officers of private companies may make their own vaccine recipient lists and implement steps that could expedite vaccine deployment and prevent expiry,” it stressed.Lastly, the DOH said private companies with excess doses have the option to donate them to the government.”Government policy gave the private sector an option to donate its Covid-19 vaccines directly to local government units,” said the DOH. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)