The Dengvaxia Hypothesis

Guinea pigs, monkeys, and rabbits are the most common animals used for research and testing. It is
clearly prohibited to use people as a substitute for this. But then just recently, the Dengue Immunization
program approved by the Department of Health turned out to be an anomaly since it has been said to
have side effects to those who haven’t been infected prior to the vaccination. It then leads to a
furthermore study of the so called “dengvaxia”. Yet the worst part is, the children unintentionally
became the respondents.

More than 830,000 children were vaccinated with dengvaxia in schools and communities while another
32,000 people were immunized in private hospitals. It happened before Sanofi Pasteur, the
pharmaceutical company who manufactured the vaccine had advised to not prescribe Dengvaxia to
those who have not been infected in the past as it may cause severe diseases in the long run.

As a result, the program has been put on hold by the DOH. They are also working in close coordination
with the DepEd in order to monitor those who have taken the vaccine and form an immediate remedy
since the worried parents are already taking action.

The government had been reckless by implementing the program without fully studying the vaccine.
Knowing that the pharmaceutical company knows the side effects from the very start, it is just
impossible that they didn’t even mention it to the DOH. When in any circumstances, it is an important
thing to know especially that the beneficiaries are the community

The eagerness of the government to lower the number of Dengue cases in a faster way, had led to this
more crucial situation. In fact, according to the statistics of DOH, the Dengue cases from January to July
2017, counts to 43,770. 36.8 percent lower compared to the same period last year which counts to
69,297.

The Dengue Immunization Program is supposed to make the count even less for the next year’s rainy
season. But with just Metro Manila, Central Luzon and CALABRZON taking the vaccination, it already got
suspended. Senate Blue Ribbon Chair Richard Gordon said “We must not give vaccination a bad name”.
But then, they already did and the damage has already been done.

If we cannot trust the government then let us trust ourselves. Let us put our health in the hands of the
community. Our surroundings define our health and there is no one to save us but ourselves. Though
still, the government can give precautionary measures and advices in order for the people to be well
educated in terms of health.

Stick on preventing sickness instead of trusting the cure. Prevention is better than cure indeed. We,
ourselves are the ones responsible for our health. We must all take care of our health since it is our
everything. Life in sickness is never a good living and we must be wise enough to live a satisfying life.

We aren’t animals to be use for experiments. We are humans and we have our own thinking. Yes, there
are hospitals and the government to help us. But Don’t be too dependent on the government. Whatever
happens, it is our health and we must take care of it.