Lawsuit eyed to recover P1.8-B balance spent on Dengvaxia

Lawmakers are banking on the filing of a lawsuit to enable the government to recover the remaining P1.84 billion spent to procure the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

The Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) should heed the recommendation of two committees of the House of Representatives to initiate a court case against Dengvax- ia distributor Zuellig Pharma Corp., Rep. John Bertiz of party-list group ACTS-OFW said yesterday.

“The PCMC would be remiss in its duty if it refuses to abide by the House recommendation,” Bertiz said.

The committees on good government and health have urged the PCMC to file civil cases against Zuellig, former president Benigno Aquino III, former budget secretary Florencio Abad, former health secretary Janette Garin and other past officials for the recovery of the P3 billion paid for the Dengvaxia vaccine.

Zuellig sold Dengvaxia on behalf of French drug-maker Sanofi Pasteur, which previously returned P1.16 billion of the P3 billion in exchange for the unused vaccine.

But Sanofi has refused to refund the P1.84-billion balance for the shots that had already been used, saying a total refund would be tantamount to admitting its vaccine was defective.