Access to COVID-19 vaccines & therapeutics

Under a new regulatory pathway known as the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR), which Health Sciences Authority (HSA) had swiftly implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to expedite access to new COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics through “interim authorisation”, Agnes and her team at HSA were able to evaluate these new vaccines and therapeutics expeditiously while simultaneously applying the same rigorous data-driven evaluation processes, based on the best available scientific knowledge at the time to determine the benefits and risks.

Focusing on the science…

The pressure was no doubt tremendous. However, I simply stayed focused on the science and abided by the principle that if I were to approve a vaccine for use by our people, it must be good enough to go into the arms of my parents and family.

Data and guideline driven strategy

A significant number of COVID-19 patients required ICU care due to the severity of their conditions. Given the global shortage of ICU drugs, it was critical for our healthcare institutions to ensure sufficient supplies locally. Tapping on Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) experience of treating the first COVID-19 patients and analysing past drug utilization data, Lay Hong and the ICU team at TTSH helped to form the basis of projecting requirements for the national ICU drug stockpile. They also came up with strategies to conserve the limited drug supplies with our nursing and medical teams by using alternatives and minimizing wastage.

Working with limited manpower…

Grateful for the support from the ICU team members who did not hesitate when deployed to the Outbreak ICU and carried out their duties to guide the doctors in prescribing optimally for the patients.

Continual supply of medications & vaccines

Hwee San’s team at Ministry of Health (MOH) was responsible in ensuring adequate supplies of new COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, medical consumables, personal protective equipment and medical equipment for healthcare institutions such that our healthcare system continues to function as per normal. They are also part of the team driving the success of our national COVID-19 vaccination program and ensuring the access to treatments for the C+ cases.

The freezing challenge…

The management of COVID-19 vaccines required ultra-low storage temperatures of -70ᵒC, making the storage and deployment to vaccination sites, without impacting the efficacy and quality, critical.

Continual supply of medications & vaccines

To overcome the global and local drug supply disruptions caused by the huge surge in demand, disruption of supply chain and locked down, Mabel and her team in ALPS collaborated closely with public healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical companies and MOH to build up sufficient drug supplies and sourced for alternative brands when the current companies were not able to support.

Rowing the boat together...

I found it heart-warming to see pharmacists from various segments of the drug supply chain such as manufacturing, procurement, warehousing and distribution working collaboratively to ensure continuity of drug supplies in Singapore.