Noynoy admits he wasn’t aware of Sanofi controversies

Former President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday said he wasn’t made aware of the controversial issues faced by Sanofi Pasteur, manufacturer of controversial Dengvaxia dengue vaccine, when he met with the pharmaceutical company’s officials twice during his administration.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the P3.5-billion dengue vaccination program, enumerated a list of charges against Sanofi in other parts of the world.

Gordon, for one, cited an instance back in 2012 when Sanofi was fined $109 million in the United States for violating the False Claims Act. Sanofi, the senator added, has already been accused of bribery in several instances in the past. 

“I just want to point out – without casting aspersion on your character – that when you meet with drug companies like these…I would imagine that through no vote of your own, you were not briefed on your first meeting with China in APEC, sir?” Gordon asked Aquino.

Aquino replied: “On the allegations or charges against Sanofi, both for the China meeting nor the Paris meeting was I informed of any of these.”

Aquino met with officials of Sanofi last November 9, 2014 in Beijing, China, and on December 1, 2015 in Paris, France.

Gordon said the past administration, specifically then-Health Secretary Janette Garin, should have been “more careful and circumspect” in dealing with Sanofi.

“There ought to be a certain amount of due diligence,” Gordon said.

The dengue vaccination program began on April 2016 under Garin.

According to the DOH, at least 830,000 public school students have been vaccinated with Dengvaxia in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and Cebu. — RSJ, GMA News