Garin ready to face charges: I did nothing wrong

MANILA, Philippines — Former health secretary and now Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin has vowed to face her latest indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for alleged deaths blamed on the dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine.

“I will face this bravely and without fear because we know the truth,” Garin said in Filipino, adding she has not yet received a copy of 78-page DOJ resolution that found probable cause to charge her and several others in court.

Garin, other health officials and the president of Sanofi Pasteur were charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide in connection with the alleged deaths in 2015. The penalty for such offense is imprisonment of up to six years for each count, based on the Revised Penal Code.

The DOJ did not mention the names of those indicted – except Garin’s – supposedly due to privacy concerns.

Garin, an opposition lawmaker, disclosed that six of the seven cases in the “first batch” of indictments against her have already been dismissed or thrown out by the courts for “lack of basis and substance.”

“Science has proven over and over again that no deaths have been linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine. Almost the whole world is using it now and no case like ours has surfaced,” Garin, who is a medical doctor, said.

She lamented that she and “other public health servants who sought to bring a life-saving vaccine in the country” have been ridiculed and made to stand trial by publicity.

“Is it justice if we let our countrymen die of a disease that has cure? If so, then who shall be made accountable for the deaths due to dengue after the vaccine was pulled out? ” Garin said. 

“Who shall be made to pay for the measles, polio deaths due to fear of vaccines? In this situation, genuine justice is listening to science and not to politicking,” she said.

The unnamed Sanofi officers and directors were also indicted for violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, as the Dengvaxia produced by the firm “poses certain risks to seronegatives, or those who have not previously contracted the dengue disease.”

“Likewise, the panel found that the circumstances surrounding the dispensation of the Dengvaxia vaccine made the same a mislabeled drug and held liable the president of Sanofi and four of its other officers or directors for violating the same act,” the DOJ said.

In its 78-page resolution, the DOJ panel said the officials indicted showed “inexcusable lack of precaution” when they fast tracked the procurement process for the Devangxia despite what the prosecution considered as the drug’s low efficacy and potential risks.  –  Sheila Crisostomo