(Eagle News) — Former Health Secretary Janette Garin on Monday denied money exchanged hands in the procurement of the controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.
In a media interview before the start of the joint hearing of the blue ribbon and health committees, Garin said that the proper process was followed in the procurement of the vaccine during former President Benigno Aquino III’s term.
“Wala po itong korupsyon. Wala po itong paghahangad na pagmamadali,” she said.
She noted that the documents would show that the procurement was a “long process.”
“It was not a midnight deal,” she said.
She added that the vaccine–which was considered “safe” because it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration—was purchased at $20 dose, cheaper than in other countries.
The Dengvaxia snafu started when the drug manufacturer Sanofi admitted “serious cases” could occur in people who were administered the vaccine but who have not had dengue.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque ordered a halt to the vaccination program, which was started in April 2016, under Garin’s time.
But Garin said plans for the program started even before her term.
“Solely responsible”
Her predecessor, Enrique Ona, however, said Garin was “solely responsible” for the program using the controversial Sanofi Pasteur’s Dengvaxia vaccine.
“In the light of the Sanofi Pasteur advisory on the use of the antidengue vaccine Dengvaxia, the leadership that took over the DOH after I left in Dec. 20, 2014, is solely responsible for all the decisions that has resulted in what is becoming to be a major health nightmare in the country today,” Ona said in a statement.
He said that during his term from June 2010 to December 2014, the Sanofi Pasteur group would “request a briefing for (him) on the status of their clinical trial of the vaccine being tested (phase 3 trial) in Southeast Asia including the Philippines as well as several countries in South America.”
He said this occurred “almost annually.”
“This was of great interest to me since dengue fever was not only rampant in the Philippines almost appearing all year round and was also being used as ‘one of the measures of public health performance’ by the public,” he said.
He said while he “had high hopes like many others,” during his term the Sanofi staff “never claimed that the vaccine was ready for general use and only gave a vague projection…when it would be ready for launching.”
He said he was “already out of government” when he first heard the DOH was going to procure the new vaccine and had allocated “several billions” of pesos, “more than the entire budget for all other vaccines being procured by the DOH annually!”
