DOH not yet trying new malaria vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is not using new malaria vaccines for mass immunization without “definitive clinical trials.”

“Prudence dictates that any new vaccines introduced in the market, we cannot just implement it nationwide. You need to wait for the results, definitive clinical trials studies,” Duque said.

The DOH, Duque added, needs to exercise extreme caution in using new vaccines for mass vaccination.

Duque issued the statement after the Malawi government made available the world’s first malaria vaccine to children up to two years of age.

According to Duque, only through concrete clinical tests would the DOH allow new malaria vaccines in the local market.

“The results of such definitive clinical trials will help guide the DOH leadership whether to adopt this new vaccine or not,” Duque noted.

But small pilot implementation may be adopted prior to mass immunization, he said.

In April 2016, the Philippines became the first Asian country to approve the use of the world’s first dengue vaccine and launched a mass immunization drive in Central Luzon, Region 4A and Metro Manila.

The vaccine manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, later admitted that Dengvaxia poses higher risks to people without prior dengue infection.