Philippines approves Sinovac vaccine but roll-out stalls on Western drug makers’ liability fears
- One step forward as Chinese jab is authorised, two steps back as Pfizer and AstraZeneca demand indemnification clauses
- The stipulation by the two Western vaccine makers comes amid continuing fallout from Sanofi’s Dengvaxia controversy
Three top Sanofi executives were ordered arrested by a Quezon City court earlier this month after they failed to appear for an arraignment hearing in a case related to the roll-out several years ago of the company’s dengue drug, Dengvaxia – a vaccination campaign that allegedly resulted in the deaths of several children dating as far back as 2016.
The Sanofi executives, who are all based in Paris, have been charged with “reckless imprudence resulting in homicide” in the case.
“The industry is saying, I have to be protected. I don’t want to be ‘Sanofied’,” said Dr Kenneth Hartigan-Go, a non-resident research fellow at the Ateneo School of Government and former health under secretary who is one of the former or current health officials facing charges in the Dengvaxia case along with the Sanofi executives.
In a statement on Monday, Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon noted how drug companies “suddenly required” an indemnification clause following news of the arrest warrants. Such a clause, he said, means the companies would be free of liabilities resulting from any adverse consequences of using their vaccines.