DOH seeks UP-PGH help to validate Dengvaxia-linked deaths

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday that it sought the help of experts from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) to validate the alleged deaths among children immunized with Dengvaxia.

“We are being transparent to erase doubts from other sectors that the DOH may be concealing information relevant to Dengvaxia vaccination,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in a press briefing.

UP-PGH would be providing an independent review and assessment on the probable cause of deaths of the children submitted by the DOH through an expert group of pediatricians, pathologists, and other specialists with no financial or intellectual ties to Sanofi Pasteur, the French drug manufacturer of Dengvaxia.

At least two deaths of 10-year-old girls from Bataan and Quezon City have so far been reported and linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine. Their families claimed the children died after getting vaccinated in school.

Duque reiterated that the DOH remains open to any inquiry and has, in fact, been cooperating with authorities on the investigation of Dengvaxia procurement and alleged deaths due to the vaccine.                             /kga