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Manila Bulletin devider devider Doctors' group urges DOH to lift Dengvaxia ban

Doctors' group urges DOH to lift Dengvaxia ban

Published Aug 1, 2019 02:11 pm
By Analou De Vera Reacting to the rising number of dengue cases in the country, a group of Filipino doctors has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to lift the ban on the controversial dengue vaccine, Dengvaxia. Department of Health (MANILA BULLETIN) Department of Health (MANILA BULLETIN) "Now, as dengue cases continue to surge, the group is once again appealing to the DOH to be open to the return of the vaccine into the market," the Doctors for Truth and Public Welfare (DTPW) said in a statement. The group, which is headed by former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, said the country has the highest "incidence and death rate from dengue this part of the world, yet it is the only country in the world that has banned it." Allowing the use of Dengvaxia again does not mean that it will be used for mass immunization, said Dr. Minguita Padilla, DTPW co-convenor. "The vaccine need not be included in the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) of the government so that government need not spend for it. But at least make it available to physicians to offer for the millions of patients who can benefit from it," said Padilla. "DTPW believes that Secretary Duque's recent declaration of a national dengue alert shows that the Philippines falls under the 'high-risk populations' that the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends the anti-dengue vaccine to," she added. Former health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin was also pushing DOH to bring back Dengvaxia. Recent data showed there were 130,463 dengue cases, including 561 deaths, nationwide from Jan. 1 to July 13. Dengvaxia was first used in 2016, when the health department launched its school-based dengue immunization program in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon. A year later, the vaccine's manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, revealed that Dengvaxia could cause severe dengue to first-time dengue patients. DOH immediately terminated the program and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permanently revoked the certificate of product registration (CPR) of Dengvaxia. Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo said the revocation of Dengvaxia's CPR is still in effect despite Sanofi's pending appeal.
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