Manila, Philippines — The
Philippine Medical Association (PMA), the umbrella organization of all medical
doctors practicing in the country, has expressed alarm over reports of
unregistered and counterfeit dengue vaccines being sold in unauthorized
channels.
At a media roundtable
held at Seda Vertis North, Dr. Erica Tania Davillo, chair of the PMA Ad Hoc
Committee on Dengue Advocacy, warned that purchasing these unauthorized
vaccines might end up doing more harm than good in the fight against the
disease.
She said: “While we
recognize that there is a growing number of Filipinos clamoring for safe and
effective ways to protect their families from dengue, we also need to make sure
that we only use medical products that have undergone the proper regulatory review
process from government authorities.”
The PMA also commended
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cracking down on sellers of fake and
unlicensed health products, including vaccines. “We are grateful to the FDA for
taking decisive action on halting the illegal sale of unregistered health
products, because these pose a real danger to the health of Filipinos,” Dr.
Davillo said.
Dr. Davillo
also spoke on behalf of the Empowering Networks to Defeat Dengue (E.N.D.
Dengue) Coalition, on the occasion of the organization’s first anniversary this
February. Organized by the PMA together with other healthcare organizations and
advocacy groups, E.N.D. Dengue Coalition strongly supports the World Health
Organization’s call to end dengue deaths by 2030.
The Philippines
continues to have a much higher dengue burden than other countries in Southeast
Asia. Looking at September 2025 data on the Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA)
Group dashboard, Indonesia reported 118,021 cases and 487 deaths, while Vietnam
logged 92,926 cases and 17 deaths. In comparison, the Philippines reported
234,895 cases and 912 deaths in the same period—significantly higher than
reported cases in Indonesia and Vietnam.
As shared by Dr. Hector Santos, PMA
president, based on the latest report from the
Department of Health (DoH), the Philippines logged 7,471 cases this January—a
71-percent drop from the 25,652 cases recorded in the same period last year,
when several local government units such as Quezon City declared outbreaks.
Still, the January 2026 numbers recorded in the Philippines were nearly 19
times higher than the numbers reported by Indonesia in the same period (403
cases).
Because of the
continuing threat of dengue, health experts keep reminding the public to take
the necessary precautions and to be aware of the early warning signs of the
disease.
“Based on the latest
data, dengue outbreaks no longer just happen during the rainy season,” stressed
Dr. Santos.
“Because of such factors as climate change, urban sprawl and congestion, and
others, dengue cases are already being reported all year round.”
E.N.D. Dengue’s work is
guided by five pillars: Global and Local Epidemiology and Threat, Vector
Control, Clinical Management, Dengue Vaccine Development, and Communication and
Advocacy.
Under the pillar of
Global and Local Epidemiology and Threat, E.N.D. Dengue calls for accurate and
timely data reporting and publication from both private and government sectors.
Under Vector Control, the coalition focuses on the need to significantly reduce,
if not eliminate, dengue transmission through mosquito control methods. For
Clinical Management, the group calls for the development and dissemination of
unified and regularly updated clinical practice guidelines for disease
prevention and management. Another important component of the E.N.D. Dengue
framework is Dengue Vaccine Development, which recognizes the role of vaccine
research, development, and accessibility, as well as its timely distribution.
Lastly, Communication and Advocacy emphasizes the need to educate the public on
the disease and ways to address it, while also promoting vaccine acceptance and
fighting the continuing threat of misinformation.
“The E.N.D. Dengue Coalition,
alongside the rest of the Philippine Medical Association, stands united in our
shared mission of significantly reducing, if not eliminating, dengue deaths in
the country. Together with our members, partners, and other supporters, we are
committed to helping ease the burden of dengue, which continues to pose
considerable strain not just on Filipino families, but on the public health
system as a whole,” said Dr. Santos.
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