FDA still reviewing proposed dengue vaccine — Palace

Citing information from the Department of Health (DOH), Malacañang on Tuesday said the application for a new dengue vaccine remains pending before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), even as the government braces for the rainy season.

Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro was referring to the second-generation dengue vaccine called QDENGA, by Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

“Sabi kasi ng nailathalang datos, pinakamababa ang talab ng TAK-003 o Qdenga sa mga batang 4 to 5 years old kumpara sa 6 years old pataas,” Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(Data shows that the effectiveness of TAK-003 or Qdenga is lowest in children 4 to 5 years old, as compared to those 6 years old and above.)

“Sabi rin kasi ng datos na hindi maisasantabi ang maaaring mas magkaroon ng malalang dengue serotype 3 sa mga nabakunahang hindi pa nagka-dengue dati. Sa ating bansa, dengue serotype 3 ang madalas na kumakalat. So, abangan na lang po muna natin ang magiging tugon ng aplikante,” she added.

(Data also shows that the possibility of a more severe dengue serotype 3 among vaccinated individuals who have never had dengue before cannot be ruled out. In our country, dengue serotype 3 is the most prevalent. So, let's wait and see what the applicant's response will be.)

Based on DOH’s data, Castro said the number of dengue cases nationwide so far this year was 57% lower at 48,151, as compared to last year's 110,924.

She also stressed that vector control remains the main method for controlling dengue. This is why, she said, the government is fully supportive of the DOH’s campaign against dengue.

“Sa madaling salita, kapag walang lamok, walang dengue,” the Palace Press Officer said.

(In other words, if there are no mosquitoes, there is no dengue.)

Doctors have long urged President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to grant public access to new-generation dengue vaccines, emphasizing that dengue remains a major public health crisis especially in the Philippines.

While acknowledging the government’s “5S” strategy against dengue, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) previously stressed the need for additional measures, including immunization.

Dengue virus is transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes and is common in countries with tropical climates like the Philippines.

The symptoms of dengue include high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pains, nausea, and rashes. Some may also experience pain behind the eyes, vomiting, and swollen glands. — BAP, GMA News