Garin admits meeting with Sanofi execs

Janette Garin

Former Health Secretary Janette Garin admitted that she met with officials of Sanofi Pasteur in Paris two years ago to discuss the pharmaceutical firm’s now-controversial antidengue vaccine.

In an interview aired over ANC on Friday night, Garin confirmed that she met with some of the French drug firm’s officials, but maintained that there was “no malice.”

“Nagkamali po talaga ako kasi I was being asked on a dinner that happened two years ago (I made a mistake, I was being asked on a dinner that happened two years ago),” she said.

She added: “But let me put it categorically. I supposedly denied it. What I said was, I can’t recall it.”

It was under Garin’s term that the dengue immunization program of the Department of Health (DOH) began, using Dengvaxia, the world’s first antidengue vaccine.

Increase risk

However, the vaccine came under fire after Sanofi admitted that it might increase the risk for severe dengue in those who had no prior dengue infections.

More than 830,000 school children have been vaccinated with Dengvaxia under the DOH’s dengue immunization program, which Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has suspended.

The government spent P3.5 billion for the vaccine, which Duque now wants refunded by Sanofi.

Earlier, Garin confirmed that she was in Paris in May 2015, but denied she met officials of the pharmaceutical giant to discuss the vaccine.

The former health secretary maintained that she only met with the French minister for health.

However, a report from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) revealed that Garin met with Sanofi officials during her May 2015 trip to Paris to discuss the Dengvaxia vaccine.

The report claimed that Sanofi gave Garin and her delegation a tour of a dengue facility in Lyon, Eastern France.

No malice

In the interview on Friday night, Garin said she recalled the meeting but maintained that there was no malice behind her actions.

“I recall when I went there, [Philippine] Ambassador [to France Theresa] Lazaro said, ‘Why don’t you pass by a vaccine factory?’ I just forgot the name,” she said.

Garin added: “If there was malice in that meeting, then why did we meet with someone from the DFA there?”

The former health secretary said she only wanted to know when the vaccine would be released and how much it would cost, noting that the Philippines was not alone in inquiring about the vaccine.

She added that talks on the planned dengue vaccination program began as early as 2010 during the term of her predecessor, Dr. Enrique Ona.

“If I were hiding something, I will not do it in the presence of the DFA. We know that we should be transparent,” Garin said.