Latest news with #Dengvaxia
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
Herbosa cites Dengvaxia lesson as PH mulls approval of Qdenga vaccine
Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said the government was evaluating whether to introduce the Qdenga vaccine in the Philippines to prevent dengue in children. The Food and Drug Administration has been reviewing the application of Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals for a certificate of product registration (CPR) for Qdenga since 2023. 'We will not use the Qdenga as a mass-based immunization. It has to be done in your clinics because what we've learned from Dengvaxia was that you should know the serologic status of the person you're giving the dengue vaccine to. So, it's very important that you take a serologic test [to measure antibodies in the blood] before you decide to give any of these new dengue vaccines,' Herbosa said during the 2nd Dengue Summit organized by the Philippine Medical Association on Wednesday. In 2023, Herbosa said that he had no plans to reintroduce Dengvaxia due to controversies surrounding the vaccine. This followed after the manufacturer against prescribing Dengvaxia to patients who have not had the virus in the past, since it may cause severe diseases in the long run. Dengvaxia was even linked to the deaths of Filipino children, but the Department of Justice withdrew the criminal charges against former Health Secretary Janette Garin and several others early this year for lack of adequate grounds for conviction. Research Institute for Tropical Medicine—Research and Innovative Office head Dr. Charissa Borja-Tabora said the World Health Organization recommends the use of Qdenga in children aged 6 to 16 years in settings with high dengue transmission. 'The vaccine is recommended as a two-dose schedule with a minimum interval of three months between doses,' she said. Borja-Tabora added that further innovations and research are being conducted for more effective treatment and prevention of dengue. This includes additional vaccines in development, as well as antibody therapies for passive immunization. 'Vaccines provide direct individual protection against dengue infection, and critically, significantly reduce the risk of dengue hospitalization. And, of course, if you're able to immunize a certain number or percentage in the community, then you also decrease the amount of virus circulating in the community,' she said. According to DOH, the Philippines recorded 119,000 dengue cases as of May 31, up 59% compared to the period from January to May 2024. A total of 470 dengue-related deaths were also recorded in the first five months of the year. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
25-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
DOH aims zero dengue-related deaths by 2030
The Department of Health (DOH) is looking into multiple ways to address the rising dengue cases in the country, as it aims for zero dengue-related deaths by 2030. In Nico Waje's Wednesday report on 'Saksi,' the DOH said it is assessing the Wolbachia method used in Jakarta, Indonesia, to control mosquito breeding. The method uses bacteria to control the number of mosquitoes. According to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, dengue cases will continue to rise unless mosquito breeding grounds are controlled. The number of dengue cases rose to 59% from January to June 2025. This is equivalent to 23,000 reported dengue cases in the country, of which 470 have died. Calabarzon logged the most number of dengue cases, with 19,500 infections and 62 deaths. The DOH is also assessing the usage of the QDenga dengue vaccine, which is being utilized in 40 countries. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still evaluating the vaccine. Herbosa said the pharmaceutical company still needs to submit its risk management plan and the reason why the vaccine was pulled out from other FDA markets, like the United States. DOH plans to use the vaccine in the hospital and not for mass-based immunization. The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) also believed that vaccination is the key to achieving zero dengue-related deaths. Unlike Dengvaxia, which was cloned out of yellow fever, PMA president Hector Santos said QDenga is better since it was taken from previous dengue cases. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
