Sanofi to refund P1.4 billion to DOH over unused vaccine

January 15, 2018

A total of P1.4 billion will be refunded by Sanofi Pasteur to the Department of Health (DOH) for unused dengue vaccine.

In a statement Monday, Sanofi Pasteur said: "Sanofi Pasteur has responded positively to the Philippine DOH request that we provide reimbursement for the doses of Dengvaxia® that were not used by the government in the public vaccination program."

The health department in a letter, had demanded for a refund of the P1.4 billion worth of unused Dengvaxia vaccine after it suspended the school-based dengue immunization program in the wake of the concerns over safety of the vaccine.

Sanof said their decision to reimburse for the unused doses is not related to any safety or quality issues.

"Rather, Sanofi Pasteur hopes that this decision will allow us to be able to work more openly and constructively with the DOH to address the negative tone towards the dengue vaccine in the Philippines today," said the pharmaceutical giant.

"Sanofi Pasteur strongly believes that this tone is due to a misunderstanding of the benefits and risks associated with the dengue vaccine and a lack of awareness amongst the general public, particularly parents of vaccinated children, that the overall benefit of dengue vaccination remains positive in high endemic countries like the Philippines," it added.

Sanofi said it has sought for a meeting with health department officials to discuss numerous concerns over Dengvaxia. DMS