Pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur denied Monday, December 4, that three children died due to dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
“There are no reported deaths that are related to the dengue vaccination,” said Sanofi Pasteur’s Dr. Ruby Dizon.
The company also addressed concerns that Filipinos, mainly school children, were used as “guinea pigs” for a dengue vaccine found to be potentially harmful for those who have not had dengue in the past.
“The Department of Health program is a public health program, not a clinical trial, so Filipinos were not used as guinea pigs,” Sanofi Philippines senior director Joselito Sta. Ana said in a press conference Monday.
Meanwhile, a senator on Monday said that pharma company should be held responsible for negligence after it released an analysis that its dengue vaccine could pose risks for people who have not been previously infected by the virus.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said that Sanofi bears the legal and ethical responsibility to shoulder the health needs of the affected children and fully compensate their families.
“Sanofi urged to shoulder health needs of affected children, provide full compensation,” Hontiveros, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Health, said in a press statement.
Aside from Sanofi, Hontiveros said that health officials should be held accountable.
Hontiveros said that the DOH should explain how the vaccine was acquired and why it failed to heed the apprehension and warnings of medical experts on its potential dangers.
“Implementing an immunization program that could do more harm than good to our children is the height of negligence that could border on the criminal,” she added.
