STATEMENT OF PARTIDO LIBERAL PRESIDENT SEN. FRANCIS PANGILINAN ON DENGUE VACCINE ISSUE

December 5, 2017

Pakinggan muna natin ang mga independent health experts bago tayo humusga. Kung ang mga abogado may kanya-kanyang interpretasyon ng batas, ganun din sa medical community, na may kanya-kanyang punto de bista sa isang usaping pangkalusugan.

Siyempre sasabihin ng Sanofi na ligtas ang bakuna. Ganun din sa nakaraan at kasalukuyang health officials na nag-endorso sa nasabing bakuna. Sasabihin naman ng mga tumututol dito noon pa man ang salungat na argumento.

Mas mainam ay pakinggan natin at kumuha ng impormasyon sa WHO at pati na rin sa mga bansang kung saan inaprubahan din ang paggamit ng vaccine na ito. Ito ay ang sampung bansa ng Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala at Peru.

Ang mga mamamayan ba nila ay nakaranas ng masamang epekto ng bakuna? Kinekwestyun din ba sa ibang bansa ang paggamit ng bakuna? Pinapanagutan ba nila ang kanilang mga opsiyal?

Mas mainam na palawigin muna natin ang ating kaalaman at makakuha tayo ng independent expert opinions bago natin husgahan ang programa. Matapos natin malaman ang puno’t dulo at sa ating palagay ay may mga nagkulang, doon natin itulak na managot ang mga naging pabaya o nagkulang sa diligence.

Let us first listen to independent health experts before we judge. If lawyers have their own individual interpretations of the law, the same is true of the medical community, which will have different opinions on this health issue.

Of course Sanofi will say that the vaccine is safe. The same will be for former and current health officials who endorse the said vaccine. Those who oppose will also present their contrary arguments.

It is better to listen and get information from the World Health Organization and other countries that approved the use of this vaccine. This would be the ten countries of Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala and Peru.

Did their citizens experience adverse effects from the vaccine? Was the vaccine also questioned in their countries? Are they holding their officials accountable?

It would be better to know more about the issue and get independent expert opinions before we judge the program. After we’ve gathered the long and short of the issue, and concluded that some fell short, then we hold into account those who were negligent and failed to conduct due diligence.