Cuba Initiates WHO Prequalification of Its COVID-19 Vaccines
False information reported on CNN, regarding Cuban vaccines and the World Health Organization, was debunked by Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, and WHO representative Dr. José Moya.
Cuba is the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to develop its own vaccines to combat COVID-19, with five vaccine candidates; three already approved for emergency use by the national regulatory authority. Cuba has now begun the process of prequalification of its immunogens before the World Health Organization (WHO).
The information was announced in a meeting held on September 2 between the president of BioCubaFarma, Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, and the PAHO/WHO representative in Cuba, Dr. José Moya, who described the meeting as cordial, welcoming the interest expressed by Cuba to begin the prequalification of its vaccines, and noted that international media reports citing an alleged WHO disqualification of Cuban drugs are based on the manipulation, distorting the statements made by one of the organization’s officials.
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A recent CNN report alleged that the Cuban government did not receive an emergency use license for its COVID-19 vaccine from the WHO and, therefore, it cannot be purchased through the PAHO Revolving Fund.
BioCubaFarma responded to this fake news through a post on its Twitter account, stating, “Once again information has been manipulated to hurt Cuba and its image.”
Una vez más se manipula la información para afectar a Cuba y su imagen. Medios de prensa publican que, "La #OMS no autorizó el uso de emergencia de la vacuna cubana #Abdala", a partir de la manipulación de la declaración de un representante de esa organización. (Hilo👇). pic.twitter.com/PWUI8otIsB
— BioCubaFarma (@BioCubaFarma) September 2, 2021
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“This is false information; our vaccine has already been authorized for emergency use by CECMED, a regulatory authority of reference in the region and recognized by the WHO itself,” the post continued.
“The process for its recognition by the WHO has not yet begun, so it is impossible that an evaluation has been issued,” informed BioCubaFarma. “Considering the respect which WHO/PAHO deserves, its history of cooperation with Cuba and the many lives that Abdala can save, let the truth be told.”
Featured image: Abdala, one of the COVID-19 vaccines prepared by Cuba, has shown high efficacy, and is among the Cuban vaccines under consideration for prequalification by WHO. Photo: Ricardo López Hevia / Granma
(Granma) by Laura Mercedes Giráldez
