Drug manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur has refused to pay for the used Dengvaxia vaccines procured by the Department of Health (DOH).
These vaccines are worth at least P 1.6 billion.
Sanofi Pasteur Asia Pacific Head Thomas Triomphe told the hearing of the House of Representatives today that his drug company is upholding the efficacy of the vaccine and a refund will be contradictory to the position that they maintain.
"Doing so will mean that the product is ineffective, which is not the case," he stated.
"Doing so will create confusion in the minds of the parents. It will create a wrong impression on the efficacy of the product," he explained.
Triomphe said in many countries, immunization programs that use Dengvaxia have resulted in the decrease of dengue cases.
This supposedly proves that the vaccine continues to be trusted in other countries.
In response, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said government will study the options it can take once it has received the formal communication from Sanofi.
DOH made the request for refund for the used dengue vaccines last January 25.
Sanofi Pasteur had previously made a refund worth P 1.1 billion for the used vials.
Aside from asking a refund for the used vaccines, the DOH has also requested Sanofi Pasteur to produce a trust fund.
This trust fund is supposed to finance the medical expenses of patients who had been given Dengvaxia shots and who might develop adverse reactions in the coming days.
