New findings boost PH case for full Dengvaxia refund

The Philippine government now has more leverage than ever to demand a full refund from Dengvaxia - maker, Sanofi Pasteur of France, congressman asserted yesterday.

Davao City 1st district Rep. Karlo Nograles pointed to the results of an analysis of the controversial anti-dengue vaccine that was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine that should boost the Philippines’ claim for a full refund from Sanofi.

“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,” said Nograles, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

“The Philippines through the DOH (Department of Health) has more leverage than ever to seek the refund,” he reckoned.

The French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur manufactured and trumpeted the vaccine, which in April 2016 was made the focus of a massive R3-billion inoculation campaign by the previous Aquino administration.

Then, in November 2017, Sanofi admitted that the vaccine could worsen symptoms for “seronegative” children, or those who have never contracted dengue but were given Dengvaxia shots anyway. The current Duterte administration quickly suspended the program.

The DOH said 65 children out of the nearly 900,000 vaccinees have died so far. Of the fatalities, 13 were due to severe dengue infection while the 52 others died of other causes.

Earlier this year, Sanofi – without acknowledging any faults — refunded R1.16 billion to the Philippine government to cover for the unused Dengvaxia vials returned by the DOH.

During the Appropriations panel hearings on the proposed R1.16 billion Supplemental Budget for 2018, it was learned that the pharmaceutical giant has turned down the DOH’s request for a full refund three times already.