Garin, Sanofi execs face fresh complaint over Dengvaxia

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Garin, Sanofi execs face fresh complaint over Dengvaxia

Ina Reformina,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA - The Public Attorney’s Office on Monday filed before the Department of Justice its 11th criminal complaint in connection with the government's scrapped dengue vaccination program.

The private complaint is Rowena Villegas, mother of 11-year old Michael Tablate who died on October 31, 2017.

The 4-page complaint against former Health Secretary Janette Garin, and Sanofi Pasteur officers including Carlito Realuyo, Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, and Jean-Francois Vacherand is for torture resulting in the death of any person and torture committed against children.

Charges were also filed for violating the "defective product" and "mislabeled product" provisions of the Consumer Act.

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In her complaint, Villegas said her son received Sanofi-made Dengvaxia on March 29, 2016, followed by another shot on November 10, 2016, and the third shot on July 12, 2017.

One week after the last dose, he allegedly experienced dizziness, headache, and vomiting. He was given paracetamol and appeared better, but in October 2017 he experienced asthma several times.

In the morning of October 30, Michael was rushed to a clinic, again because of another asthma attack. He was brought home that same morning but at around 6 p.m. complained of difficulty in breathing, according to Villegas.

Michael was declared dead on arrival at Our Lady of Lourdes International Medical Center in Olongapo City. He was revived twice, but no longer responded the second time.

"Sa aking pagkaka-alala, ang aking anak na si Michael ay masigla at maayos naman ang kalusugan dahil wala naman siyang inaangal na sakit maliban sa paminsan-minsang pag-atake ng kanyang asthma na mayroon na siya mula pa noong limang taong gulang pa lamang siya. Subalit noong naturukan siya ng bakuna para sa dengue ay naging masakitin na siya," she said.

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(To my recollection, my son Michael was healthy and did not complain of sickness save for occasional bouts with asthma, which he had since he was 5 years old. But when he got the dengue vaccine, he became sickly.)

Michael’s remains underwent forensic examination by PAO experts who found enough evidence to file the complaint against respondents.

The DOJ resumed Monday morning its preliminary investigation into 9 earlier similar complaints also backed by PAO. The complainants submitted their reply-affidavits to the panel of prosecutors and stood by their allegations against Garin and the other accused.

The next hearings will be on August 1 and August 30.

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