Sanofi: No refund for used dengue vaccine

FRENCH PHARMACEUTICAL giant Sanofi on Monday told the Philippines it would not refund the cost of used doses of a dengue vaccine after the vaccination program was suspended over health concerns.

The Philippines had asked Sanofi to refund a total P3.2 billion ($62 million) spent on the public vaccination program after the company said the vaccine could worsen symptoms in some cases, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.

Sanofi last month agreed to reimburse the Philippine government P1.6 billion ($31 million) for leftover doses of Dengvaxia. But it said Monday it would not pay for doses that were already used.

“Agreeing to refund the used doses of Dengvaxia would imply that the vaccine is ineffective, which is not the case,” Sanofi Pasteur said in a statement.

The refund offered for unused Dengvaxia doses was not due to safety or quality concerns but simply to show that the company was cooperating with Manila, it added.

For his part, the company’s Asia-Pacific head Thomas Triomphe said at a congressional inquiry on Monday: “With all due respect, we decided to refuse the proposal of the secretary of health to actually reimburse the used doses. The reason why, is because doing so would imply that the product as ineffective, does not provide the effect provided, which actually is not the case.”

He added: “As you know very well, today, by using Dengvaxia in the Philippines, a highly endemic country, using Dengvaxia will make sure that there are less dengue cases than not using Dengvaxia. And we stand, as previously mentioned, behind the safety and efficacy of the product, and that is why we are not reimbursing the doses.”

LEGAL OPTION

Mr. Duque said a legal step is an “option.”

“(Legal action is) an option, your honor, but we will defer to our task force...which I put together in December. So given this information, we will look at our other options available, your honor,” Mr. Duque said in answer to Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Ty Pimentel, who heads the House good government and public accountability committee, coleading the inquiry with the health committee. —