Gordon: Ombudsman should probe Aquino gov’t over dengue vaccine purchase

The Ombudsman should hold a separate probe on the Aquino government’s purchase of anti-dengue vaccines, Senator Richard Gordon said Thursday, claiming that the procurement was done with “undue haste.”

Gordon’s blue ribbon committee is scheduled to conduct a joint hearing with the Senate health committee on the dengue vaccine issue next week.

Gordon said that one of his committee’s recommendations will be to prohibit incumbent Health secretaries to also take on the chairmanship of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

According to Gordon, former Health Secretary Janette Garin was the OIC of the FDA when the Dengvaxia, the world’s first vaccine against dengue, was approved for use.

“Ang FDA noon, si Secretary Garin, nag-OIC siya, which is very irregular…Dapat ang FDA ay independent,” Gordon said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

Gordon said his committee will also recommend that protocols of testing must be strictly followed.

“Dahil diyan lalabas ang maraming kaso na negligence, recklessness imprudence lalabas diyan and even outright, talagang homicide, multiple homicide diyan kung maraming mamamatay,” Gordon said.

“At siyempre, magkakaroon ng role ang Ombudsman dahil talagang lalabas na minadali, sinalamangka 'yung pera, nilipat 'yung pera sa ibang lugar na hindi dumaan sa Kongreso,” he said.

According to Gordon, the P3.5-billion budget for the purchase of Dengvaxia was realigned through the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which has since been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

In December 2015, the Philippines was the first Asian country to approve the sale of Dengvaxia. The dengue vaccination program began in April 2016 under Garin.

Last week, the Department of Health (DOH) stopped the use of Dengvaxia after Sanofi Pasteur issued a statement setting limits to the use and application of the dengue vaccine.

Sanofi said results of a recent study showed it can actually put at risk people who have not been previously exposed to the disease.

Around 850,000 children, nine years old and above, from public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon were given the first three doses of Dengvaxia since it was launched.

Meanwhile, Gordon said Sanofi should refund the P3.5 billion for its “recklessness.”

“That has to be done. Sanofi can afford that and it’s not taking advantage. They have to be answerable. May recklessness sila,” he said. —Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/KG, GMA News