MANILA — The new study confirming the ill-effects of the controversial vaccine, Dengvaxia, on children who never had a dengue infection could help boost the Philippine government’s demand for a full refund for the used vials, a House leader said on Monday.
House appropriations committee chairman Karlo Nograles reiterated his call for French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur to make a full refund after the New England Journal of Medicine published a study, which confirmed the risk of hospitalization and severe dengue in those who had never been previously infected with the dengue virus.
“Sanofi has rejected DOH’s (Department of Health’s) request for a full refund multiple times now, refusing to pay the Philippine government back for the vaccines already used. But all Dengvaxia has given is grief and anger to us Filipinos who unfortunately served as guinea pigs,” Nograles said.
“The Philippines through the DOH has more leverage than ever to seek the refund,” he added.
In 2017, Sanofi admitted that the vaccine could worsen symptoms for “seronegative” children, or those with no prior dengue infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommended that the vaccine should only be used after testing on individuals to assess whether they have ever been exposed to the infection.
“The published findings confirmed Sanofi’s belated admission of the pitfalls of Dengvaxia. It also upheld the World Health Organization recommendation last April that the vaccine should not be used without testing for prior dengue exposure,” Nograles said.
He said the new findings should also prompt the Senate to approve its own version of the proposed PHP1.16 billion supplemental budget to aid Dengvaxia recipients.
The House of Representatives has already approved on third reading its version of the supplemental budget in May.
“I have no doubt that the Senate would ultimately do what’s right and make sure that the money we set aside will end up benefitting the Dengvaxia victims. It is too important to ignore,” Nograles said.
The supplemental budget, based on the House version, shall fund the following programs or activities: PHP945,827,530 for the Medical Assistance Program, which includes assistance for admitted patients in hospitals and for outpatients; PHP78,296,250 for the assessment and monitoring of Dengvaxia vaccinees; PHP70 million for the supplies and medicine; and PHP67,586,220 for human resource deployment.
The supplemental budget shall be sourced from the PHP1.16 billion refund given to the Philippine government by Sanofi Pasteur earlier this year. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
