Solon wants vaccine hoarding, unauthorized vaccine shots criminalized

Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas on Tuesday filed a measure that seeks to criminalize the hoarding of COVID-19 vaccines as well as administering unauthorized vaccine shots during the occurrence of public health emergencies.

Vargas' House Bill 10106 or the proposed Anti-Vaccine Hoarding Act aims to impose a penalty of 15 to 60 days' imprisonment and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P500,000.

According to the lawmaker, the practice of vaccine hoarding and unauthorized vaccinations during public health emergencies “are selfish and detrimental to the collective recovery and protection of the Filipino people.”

The Quezon City lawmaker pointed out that there is still a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines; therefore, hoarding of anti-COVID shots or having illegal booster shots should be stopped. 

“These acts are inimical to the public health system and the overall welfare of the public, thus, must be penalized,” Vargas said.

“Vaccine hoarding and unauthorized vaccinations have jeopardized the proper delivery of public health services and the welfare of every Filipino who has been deprived of the opportunity to be protected from the coronavirus,” he added.

The bill defines vaccine hoarding as "the undue accumulation by a person or combination of persons of vaccines beyond their normal inventory levels as determined by the Department of Health (DOH).” 

It added that "the unreasonable limitation of distribution or refusal to dispose of the stocks of vaccines to the general public or the unjustified withdrawal of vaccines from the channels of production, trade, commerce and industry” is also considered as vaccine hoarding.

Meanwhile, unauthorized vaccination is defined as the "administration of a vaccine by persons who are not authorized" under the guidelines set by the DOH and relevant regulations.

Over-vaccination is “receiving vaccination by any person or group of persons beyond the approved vaccine dosage set by the DOH." — BM, GMA News