Breaking News: Vietnam to Export Two Million Avac ASF Vaccine Doses to the Philippines
In a significant development, Vietnam has unveiled plans to export a staggering two million doses of its Avac -ASF vaccine to the Philippines by October, as reported by Reuters. This announcement follows closely on the heels of Vietnam’s historic decision to authorize domestic usage of the world’s first commercial ASF vaccines just a week ago.
The ASF menace has cast a long shadow over the global pork industry, with disruptions that have reverberated throughout the market valued at $250 billion. The devastating 2018-19 outbreak in China, the world’s leading pork producer, led to the loss of nearly half the country’s domestic pig population and incurred losses amounting to over $100 billion.
The Avac vaccine, which will be dispatched to the Philippines, is designed for commercial use and is the brainchild of AVAC Vietnam JSC. According to government sources, the company has already successfully shipped 300,000 vaccine doses to the Philippines since its initial approval. This substantial shipment has been hailed as a clear indicator of the immense export potential held by these vaccines.
In recent times, Vietnam achieved a monumental breakthrough by granting domestic commercial authorization to two potent ASF vaccines – NAVET-ASFVAC and AVAC ASF LIVE. Developed through a collaborative effort between Vietnamese entities and researchers from the United States, these vaccines represent a major stride towards curbing the ASF threat. A comprehensive testing regimen involving over 650,000 vaccine doses was administered to hog herds across 40 provinces in Vietnam, yielding an impressive efficacy rate of 95%, according to official government data.
The Philippines’ Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has taken a proactive stance by officially recommending the Avac vaccine for approval by its Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recommendation comes after successful clinical trials conducted across six farms in the Luzon region of the Philippines, where significant increases in ASF antibodies were observed across all tested samples. However, the Avac vaccine awaits the acquisition of a registration certificate before it can be imported and distributed.
Upon receiving the FDA’s nod, the BAI aims to import a minimum of 600,000 doses of the Avac vaccine from Vietnam. Tailored for pigs aged 4 to 10 weeks, this single-shot solution promises an efficient and streamlined approach to ASF control. The complete guidelines for vaccine rollout will be unveiled post-registration certificate issuance. While vaccination won’t be mandatory, pig producers are encouraged to integrate this crucial preventive measure once the vaccine becomes commercially available.
Despite pricing details for the Avac vaccine still under wraps, the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines assures pig producers that accessibility will be a priority, including measures to support backyard farmers. With its anticipated global reach, the Avac vaccine could play a pivotal role in mitigating the ASF threat on a worldwide scale.
In the words of Gregorio Torres, Head of the Science Department at WOAH, “We have never been so close to getting a vaccine that may work.” This sentiment underscores the potential transformation that the Avac vaccine might bring to the ASF landscape. With international cooperation and scientific innovation at the forefront, the world could be on the brink of a new era in ASF control and prevention. Stay tuned for further updates as the Avac vaccine takes center stage in our collective efforts against ASF.
