TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, June 7 (PIA) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Eastern Visayas has reiterated its warning to the public to report to the FDA and the Department of Health the name of doctors who are continuously prescribing the Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (tOPV) for children.
In a radio interview during the DOH PIA on AIR program over DYVL, FDA regional field supervisor Dr. Sonia Cabahit explained that said type of vaccine has been banned since last year and doctors were advised not to dispense it.
“This vaccine has been banned by the DOH and the FDA since last year. Infact, she witnessed the destruction of the tOPV in the city.
The warning was released following the advisory of FDA Director General Nela Charade G. Puno informing the public that the FDA cancelled the certificate of registration of all manufacturers, importers and distributors of tOPV vaccines since last year.
“In the light of the recent reports that some private physicians continue to prescribe tOPV, we are calling the public to be vigilant of the polio vaccine that is being prescribed to children,” Puno said.
Wilma Matutina, DOH-8 national immunization program manager explained that instead of trivalent, DOH switched to the bivalent oral polio vaccine to remove the type 2 component of the vaccine from the immunization program.
Distributors and retailers who continue to store the banned vaccine will be held criminally liable for it risk the public health and might compromise the global eradication of polio.(DOH/PIA8/ajc/cba)