WATCH: Aquino says no one objected to Dengvaxia use

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday said no one expressed objection against the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia when his administration decided to roll out its national immunization program.

 

He said this before the Senate blue ribbon and health committees, in defense of his administration's decision to launch in April 2016 the controversial dengue vaccination program.

 

Aquino added that Mexico and Brazil had approved the vaccine before the Philippines. 

 

"We were told that Sanofi was ready for the vaccine," he said.

 

FULL STORY: Aquino: No one objected to Dengvaxia use

 

Sanofi Pasteur, the France-based pharmaceutical giant that manufactured the controversial Dengvaxia disclosed in November that the vaccine poses risks to those who were not infected by dengue virus before. 

 

"The analysis confirmed that Dengvaxia provides persistent protective benefit against dengue fever in those who had prior infection. For those not previously infected by dengue virus, however, the analysis found that in the longer term, more cases of severe disease could occur following vaccination upon a subsequent dengue infection," Sanofi said in a statement.

 

More than 860,000 people have been vaccinated with Dengvaxia before the immunization program was put on hold December 1.

 

READ: Rollout of Dengvaxia 'premature' — health experts

 

More than 830,000 children were vaccinated with Dengvaxia in schools and communities, while another 32,000 people were immunized in private hospitals.

 

Watch as Aquino explains the previous administration's decision here: