Gatchalian: Smuggling COVID-19 vaccines might cause another 'Dengvaxia scare'

The potential entry of smuggled COVID-19 vaccines into the Philippines might spark an immunization scare similar to that of Dengvaxia, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Wednesday.

"Ang kinakatukatan ko dito kung ang ini-smuggle ay palpak, may nagkasakit, may namatay, hindi gumana. 'Yung tao magkakaroon ng duda sa vaccine program natin. Baka walang magpabakuna. Isa lang ang madisgrasya diyan wala nang magpapabakuna," Gatchalian said in an online interview.

"Ngayon pa lang tayo nagre-recover sa Dengvaxia [scare] tapos may mangyayari dahil nag-smuggle ng vaccine, magkakaproblema tayo in our next vaccination," he added.

In 2017, the controversy on the world's first anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia stirred fear among the public after its French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur announced that the vaccine may lead to more severe symptoms of dengue for those who have never been infected by the virus prior to vaccination.

The Philippine government's dengue immunization program, which by then had reached more than 800,000 school children, was suspended shortly after the Sanofi disclosure. Several complaints were filed over children's deaths that were supposedly linked to the vaccine.

The Dengvaxia scare resulted in low immunization coverage and even caused a spike in the number of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles in the country.

PSG as frontliners

The issue of possible smuggling of COVID-19 vaccines surfaced after President Rodrigo Duterte disclosed that some members of the military already received immunization shots.

This was despite the fact that the country's Food and Drug Administration has yet to authorize any COVID-19 vaccine yet. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the vaccines were smuggled.

According to the military, PSG members were the ones who had been administered with the said vaccine, eliciting criticisms from the public who questioned the prioritization.

Gatchalian said that except for the possible smuggling angle, he has no issue with PSG members getting first dibs on supposed COVID-19 vaccines.

"I don't find anything wrong giving the PSG vaccines. Trabaho nilang protektahan ang ating Pangulo eh, trabaho nila na siguraduhing di siya malalagay sa alanganin at kailangan niyan ng physical contact. You cannot protect the President with social distanncing," he said. "I consider PSG as a frontliner."

The Armed Forces of the Philippines called off its investigation on the inoculation controversy after Duterte defended the PSG.

The probe led by the National Bureau of Investigation and the FDA, meanwhile, will continue.

Senator Leila De Lima also filed a resolution seeking a legislative inquiry on the issue even after Duterte warned Congress not to force the PSG to testify in hearings. -MDM, GMA News