List of experts to probe Dengvaxia mess submitted to Duterte

July 10, 2018

The Department of Health (DOH) has submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte a shortlist of experts who could make an independent study over the Dengvaxia mess.

In a press briefing in Cavite, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during the Cabinet meeting  Monday night, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III made a report about the panel of experts to be tapped to study the effect of Dengvaxia to those who received the vaccine.

He said Duque gave the names of four individual experts.

"One came from Vietnam, one from Thailand, one from Singapore and one from Sri Lanka," he said.

But Roque said the president would choose only three from those in the shortlist.

He assured that the government has sufficient budget for those experts who would be invited to study the effect of Dengvaxia to the recipients.

Some parents have blamed Dengvaxia vaccine for the death of their children.

The Aquino administration had launched a massive anti-dengue vaccination program using Dengvaxia by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur.

The Duterte administration continued its implementation until Sanofi admitted that the vaccine posed risks particularly to those who have not yet infected with dengue virus. Celerina Monte/DMS