(Eagle News) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte would go after the individuals who have criminal liability for the Dengvaxia mess, adding that a refund was also what the commander in chief wanted.
“(The President) has promised that after investigation.. has been or have been conducted both by the Senate and the Department of Justice… that he will run after all individuals who may have criminal culpability for this,” Roque said in a press briefing.
He said that the President also “stands by the recommendation of the (Department of Health) to hold Sanofi responsible.”
“We want, by way of mere—by way of minimum, a refund of what we have paid already for the Dengvaxia,” Roque said.
He said the President wants the refund “because there was concealment of a material fact.”
“..And that is that children who have not developed dengue may acquire the disease three to six years after the vaccination,” he said.
The Dengvaxia snafu started when Sanofi, the drug manufacturer, admitted “severe cases” could occur in individuals who were administered the vaccine but who have not had dengue.
Sanofi said that the information came to light only recently, with the completion of several studies.
Over 800,00 schoolchildren have been vaccinated since the dengue vaccination program was launched in 2016, during the term of then-President Benigno Aquino III.
Senator Richard Gordon, head of the Senate blue ribbon committee conducting hearings with the health committee on the Dengvaxia mess, questioned the timing of the vaccine procurement, which came only months before the 2016 elections.
He also noted that Regions 3 and 4, and the National Capital Region where the program was first implemented were considered vote-rich areas.
