Reckless Behaviour

[Arthur Little]

Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Richard Gordon claims the previous Administration acted "with undue haste" in its approval for sale - and use of - a less than fully tested vaccine against the dengue virus in three highly endemic regions ... including Metro Manila.

http://manilastandard.net/opinion/editorial/253207/reckless-behavior.html ...:ReadIt:

It seems the "deal" was pushed through ... in spite of 'WHO' concerns.

[Doc Alan]

Dengue is an increasingly common mosquito-borne viral infection, with ~180,000 reported cases in the Philippines - and up to 100 million cases worldwide - last year. These are probably under-estimates. It’s thought many more infections occur, but are unrecognised - because of mild symptoms, or unseen by healthcare workers.


There is NO specific treatment, although most patients DO recover, less than 1% actually dying from the infection.


Prevention and control of transmission of the dengue virus - by environmental management, insecticides, and personal protection including insect repellents - is clearly inadequate.


Dengue is caused by four different strains of virus. It’s possible to have up to four infections in a lifetime. Recovery from infection by one type gives lifelong immunity - but subsequent infection by any of the other three actually increases the risk of developing severe dengue.


It’s proved very difficult to produce an effective, safe, and cheap vaccine. Drug companies often fight shy of developing vaccines, which take years to develop, and are not huge money-spinners. This is why expectations were running high when Sanofi launched the first dengue vaccine a couple of years ago. Other vaccines are now at advanced trial stages.


Most vaccines are successful if given to PREVENT disease. Rabies vaccine is an exception, in that it may also be given AFTER a suspected rabid animal bite. The Sanofi dengue vaccine may be safest and most effective when given to people who have ALREADY had infection by the virus - a common situation in the Philippines. This is what is now recommended by Sanofi, in the light of new clinical data.


" Reckless behaviour " by the previous ( Aquino ) administration and a " shameless public health scam ", with an order for the National Bureau of Investigation to " probe the Dengvaxia controversy ", may - arguably - encourage development of a safer vaccine, or even an effective treatment.


Unfortunately - as with other advances in medicine - time and patience are not always tolerated, especially by those who are unwell.

[Steve.r]

Informative post Alan, thank you :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Michael Parnham]

Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Richard Gordon claims the previous Administration acted "with undue haste" in its approval for sale - and use of - a less than fully tested vaccine against the dengue virus in three highly endemic regions ... including Metro Manila.

http://manilastandard.net/opinion/editorial/253207/reckless-behavior.html ...:ReadIt:

It seems the "deal" was pushed through ... in spite of 'WHO' concerns.

Great find Arthur, reminds me of the time myself and my ex went to our Surgery for the relevant injections that were needed on our first visit to Philippines together in 1991, we were asked if we were going to a city or province because we needed more protection if going to a province and my wife said "surely more protection is required if going to a city because the water in the city is dirty but in a province it's clean" I think she made a good point. Would be interested in any comments on this issue. :Erm:

[grahamw48]

I think the water is pretty mucky everywhere in the Phils... where there may be a Carabao taking a nice long crap and pee into the water just upstream of where you're skinny-dipping out in the province... or in Manila, where the broken sewage pipes may be running alongside the broken freshwater supply pipes (and then exiting into the bay where you were swimming yesterday ). :cwm24: ... and that's without the billions of mozzies transmitting their parasites. :cwm3:

[Michael Parnham]

I think the water is pretty mucky everywhere in the Phils... where there may be a Carabao taking a nice long crap and pee into the water just upstream of where you're skinny-dipping out in the province... or in Manila, where the broken sewage pipes may be running alongside the broken freshwater supply pipes (and then exiting into the bay where you were swimming yesterday ). :cwm24: ... and that's without the billions of mozzies transmitting their parasites. :cwm3:

Good point Graham, but I think the cities are more prone to disease :Erm:

[grahamw48]

Yes, I'm sure they are Michael. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

http://manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/virtual-reality-by-tony-lopez/257015/here-lies-nonoy

:yeahthat: amounted to a "grave" error of judgement on the part of the previous Administration ... :anerikke: ... no matter how one looks at it!

[Michael Parnham]

http://manilastandard.net/opinion/columns/virtual-reality-by-tony-lopez/257015/here-lies-nonoy

:yeahthat: amounted to a "grave" error of judgement on the part of the previous Administration ... :anerikke: ... no matter how one looks at it!

Interesting! :Erm:

[Arthur Little]

http://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/258022/sanofi-defies-ph-no-refund-for-dengvaxia.html.

:doh ... 'sanofi thing to say, :icon_rolleyes: ... but I'd have thought the pharmaceutical company's refusal to reimburse costs for used doses of the controversial *vaccine would be the least concern, now *its damage has been done.

Bunch of crooks! :cwm23: