Dengvaxia case: SC tells gov’t execs to answer parents’ petition

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed senior government officials to answer the petition of a group of parents who wanted the Department of Health (DOH) to provide free medical services to children inoculated with the Dengvaxia vaccine.

In a press briefing, high court spokesperson Theodore Te said the tribunal gave the government officials 10 days to comment on the petition.

Impleaded in the petition were Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, interior department officer in charge Catalino Cuy, Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy of the DOH National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, and Food and Drug Administration chief Nela Charade Puno.

The petitioners, composed of more than 70 parents whose children were vaccinated with Dengvaxia, raised the health risks posed by the dengue vaccine as disclosed by its manufacturer, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.

“These free medical services shall continue until it would have been determined and declared by competent and medical and/or scientific experts that the threat/s brought about by the Dengvaxia vaccine have been minimized or eliminated,” the petitioners said.