Former health secretary says it was “institutional decision” to buy dengue vaccine

December 11, 2017

Former Health Secretary Janette Garin told a Senate hearing on Monday "it was an institutional decision" to purchase P3.4 billion of dengue vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur.

"The decision to purchase Dengvaxia vaccine is the result of a decade of study and planning by the Department of Health. It is an institutional decision to address a public need," said Garin.

The purchase of vaccine was done in the first quarter of 2016. At least 800,000 children have been vaccinated but they have not completed the required three doses, said Health Francisco Duque in the same hearing.

On December 1, the health department has suspended the anti-dengue vaccination, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, after the latter warned of possible harm Dengvaxia could cause to recipients of the vaccine even if they have not yet been infected by the dengue virus.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on December 4 ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the culpability of former President Benigno Aquino III, Garin and other health officials responsible for the implementation of the dengue vaccine project.

Duque said his office is waiting for the recommendation of the World Health Organization on whether the anti-dengue vaccine program would be resumed.

Thomas Triomphe, vice president for Asia of Sanofi Pasteur, said: "We assure Filipinos that Dengvaxia continues to be a safe and efficacious vaccine."

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee conducting the hearing, said the speed at which the dengue vaccine was approved in 2016 "piques me."

Clinical experts appeared in the Senate hearing voiced out concerns over the vaccine, with former Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial lending her authority. "There were issues on long-term safety," she said. She added "there was pressure to implement the vaccination program from Day 1.'

"It was very difficult for me to implement this program. But I had no recourse. I was in damage control," said Ubial. "Even the Congress is telling that you will go to jail if you do not implement this."

Ubial was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as health secretary but she was not confirmed by the Commission on Appointments. DMS