Philippines suspends dengue vaccine Dengvaxia
The Philippines said it has suspended use of Dengvaxia vaccine against dengue virus after its manufacturer warned it could worsen the disease in some cases.
A primary student is given a Dengvaxia vaccine shot in Marikina, western Manila, in April 2016 (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippines said it has suspended use of Dengvaxia vaccine against dengue virus after its manufacturer warned it could worsen the disease in some cases.
The Philippines said on December 1 that in the light of a new analysis by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, the Department of Health will place the dengue vaccination programme on hold while review and consultation are ongoing with experts, key stakeholders, and the World Health Organisations.
The statement was made two days after Sanofi had revealed a new study which confirmed Dengvaxia's benefits for those who had prior infection. However, the dengue vaccine could lead to more severe symptoms for people who had not previously been infected.
Sanofi had initially said its Dengvaxia vaccine was "critical" in the fight against dengue, the world's most common mosquito-borne virus.
The Philippines has vaccinated more than 700,000 children with Dengvaxia since 2016 when it became the first country to start using it on a mass scale.
The country had not yet received reports of any problems with Dengvaxia among those who received the vaccine.
More than 1,000 people in the Philippines died from dengue last year, out of more than 211,000 suspected cases, according to the Philippine Government.-VNA
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