DOH reviewing different dengue vaccines; Dengvaxia still need to apply for new license
Dengvaxia still needs to apply for a new license. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — In light of the continuous rise of dengue cases in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said the agency is reviewing different kinds of vaccines available for dengue.
Dengvaxia, on the other hand, needs to apply for a certificate of product registration (CPR) from the Food and Drug Administration, according to Vergeire.
Dengvaxia’s vaccine license was revoked after being linked to the deaths of several children, according to Vergeire.
“In order for us para magamit ang bakuna na ito, kailangan (to use this vaccine) the manufacturers will undergo or go through these processes of applying for the CPR and then kailangan ma-evaluate ulit ng ating (it has to be evaluated by) health technology council,” Vergeire said of the dengvaxia vaccine.
“But while waiting for that, of course, the Department of Health, together with our experts, are already reviewing the different vaccines available against dengue,” she added.
Article continues after this advertisementVergeire noted that Dengvaxia’s CPR was revoked due to non-compliance with the requirements of the FDA.
Article continues after this advertisementIn late 2017, the DOH halted its massive anti-dengue immunization program using Dengvaxia after its manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur said patients who got vaccinated but had no prior exposure to the virus could suffer severe symptoms.
The Public Attorney’s Office filed complaints against health officials for the deaths of children allegedly caused by the anti-dengue vaccine, which is being widely used in other countries worldwide.
But in January 2019, DOH said no death was confirmed to have been directly caused by Dengvaxia.
Meanwhile, nine out of 17 regions have reported an increase of dengue cases in the country, according to Vergeire. She didn’t elaborate on which regions were included.
Vergeire also said the country logged 23,414 dengue cases based on reports from July 3, 2022 to July 30, 2022, of whom, 18,208 or 78 percent of the dengue cases have been hospitalized.
