Garin on Dengvaxia maker Sanofi Pasteur: ‘Dapat managot sila’

Sanofi Pasteur, the company behind the Dengvaxia vaccine, must be held accountable for the problems hounding its product in relation to the government's anti-dengue vaccination program, former Health Secretary Janette Garin said Monday.

“Kung nagsinungaling po ang Sanofi—hindi lang po sa amin, sa ibang bansa at sa WHO (World Health Organization)—ay dapat lang hong managot sila,” Garin said in a Senate hearing.

Last month, the company advised against prescribing Dengvaxia to people who have not been afflicted by the disease in the past as it may cause severe dengue in the long run.

“We are hoping that this would really be investigated ... Ako rin po ay nababagabag,” Garin said, noting she would be willing to place herself under investigation.

“Kung sakasakali pong sa imbestigasyon niyo, Your Honors, ay meron po akong command responsibility as Secretary of that time, I welcome and I will fully answer whatever it takes at rerespetuhin ko po kung ano man 'yung inyong magiging desisyon,” she said.

Last week, the company said there would be no product-recall of Dengvaxia. “So far with all the agencies that we've spoken with, no one has asked for a product recall,” Dr. Ng Su Peing, global medical head of Sanofi Pasteur, said in a press conference in Taguig City.

"They have agreed with our proposal that we want to inform doctors through both direct communication by letter, through medical education activities in order that they [are] all really informed of the new information and of course depending on each of the different ministries of health and the different countries, they can also issue their own circulars and memos to the doctors," Ng said. — VDS, GMA News