Duque said the government is studying an appeal to allow French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi to put the vaccine back in the Philippine market, but ruled out using the drug to combat the ongoing epidemic."This vaccine does not squarely address the most vulnerable group which is the five to nine years of age," Duque said.
The vaccine, now licensed in 20 countries according to the World Health Organization, is approved for use for those aged nine and older.Duque said the United Nations agency also advised Manila that the vaccine was"not recommended" as a response to an outbreak, and it was "not cost-effective" with one dose costing a thousand pesos .
Dengue is the world's most common mosquito-borne virus and infects an estimated 390 million people in more than 120 countries each year - killing more than 25,000 of them, according to the WHO.But controversy arose after Sanofi disclosed a year later that it could worsen symptoms for people not previously infected by the dengue virus.The disclosure sparked a nationwide panic, with some parents alleging the vaccine killed their children.
The controversy also triggered a vaccine scare that the government said was a factor behind measles outbreaks that the UN Children's Fund said have killed more than 200 people this year. Duque on Tuesday called on other government agencies, schools, offices and communities get out of offices, homes and schools every afternoon to take part in efforts to"search and destroy mosquito breeding sites".
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Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »