Nothing new in recent study on Dengvaxia effects, says DOH chief

DOH Sec Francisco Duque III. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net

There was nothing new or different in the findings of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) study about the effects of Sanofi Pasteur’s Dengvaxia vaccine on seronegative recipients, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francsico Duque III said on Friday.

In an interview with Radyo Inquirer, Duque said: “(W)ala naman kasing bago dyan sa sinasabi nila eh, ‘yan din naman ‘yong dati pang sinasabi, inulit-ulit lang nila.”

“Ang sinasabi lang nila, kung seronegative ka, meron kang risk,” he added.

On Thursday, a study posted on NEJM website said that seronegative patients or those who have not been infected with the dengue virus prior to vaccination were exposed to higher risks of dengue infection and severe dengue.

“Our findings support the hypothesis that, in the absence of previous dengue exposure, the dengue vaccine partially mimics primary infection and increases the risk of severe dengue during subsequent infection,” the study noted.

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Duque, however, shared the sentiment of Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman Richard Gordon, who said the mass anti-dengue immunization of children was “premature.”

READ:  Findings show mass vaccination of children premature, says Gordon

“Talagang minadali. Tayo nga lang ang bansa na gano’n ka-laking bilang ang binigyan ng Dengvaxia.  Ang susunod, ang Brazil, sa state of Parana, 300,000,” Duque said.

“Dalawa lang tayo na nagpa-goyo sa Sanofi,” he added.   /kga