U.S. expert who warned vs. Dengvaxia 'astonished' when PH pursued mass vaccination

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 13) — The dengue expert who warned against the negative implications of Dengvaxia said he was bothered to find out the Philippine government carried out the nationwide immunization program.

Dr. Scott Halstead, a physician who has studied vaccines since 1957, faced the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee for the first time on Tuesday to share his expertise on dengue vaccines for the investigation into the controversial Dengvaxia.

Committee Chairperson Senator Richard Gordon asked Halstead if the implementation of the nationwide dengue immunization program during the Aquino administration, which put over 830,000 children at risk, was reckless.

The dengue expert replied, "I was quite astonished and quite upset the mass immunization was going forward," he said during the 7th Senate hearing into Dengvaxia.

He added, "If you've been vaccinated and you're hospitalized, something is very wrong - that's what I call serious adverse event."

Halstead said he tried to forewarn the Philippine government before the immunization program took place in April 2016, but the program still went on.

In a study published in medical journal "Vaccine" in March 2016, Halstead warned that Dengvaxia should not be administered to seronegative individuals or people who have not been infected with the dengue virus.

He said Sanofi Pasteur recognized his early warning in 2016 when it issued a printed rebuttal, saying Halstead's study lacked basis.

Sanofi's Asia Pacific head Thomas Triomphe was quick to defend the company saying it was already in March 2017 that Sanofi have found out about the risks of Dengvaxia.

"We only found out in 2017 when taking the advice of many people because we work with everybody" Triomphe said.

Halstead added the government should have first administered blood tests on the students before it carried out the mass vaccination program.

Senator Gordon believes the government failed to exercise due diligence and that the proper authorities were remiss in their duty in providing the right information and setting the proper safeguards against Dengvaxia.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the DOH has been constantly campaigning for early detection of dengue symptoms. He also said he has a signed memorandum of agreement with medical groups committing they will not charge in excess of what government agency Philhealth will reimburse.

Who's responsible for Dengvaxia mess?

Gordon said he believes the government failed to exercise due diligence and that the proper authorities were remiss in their duty in providing the complete information and setting the proper safeguards against Dengvaxia.

He said although Janette Garin was the Health Secretary who implemented the immunization program, former President Benigno Aquino III is ultimately responsible.

"Garin might be commander-in-chief, but one that gives the signal — the commander-in-chief who pushed the button — the President of the Republic of the Philippines, because the President said so," the senator said.

The committee is set to come out with a "hard-hitting" report soon.