Pampanga: Vaccination saves lives and every Filipino deserves access to scientifically proven safe and effective vaccines in the fight against some of the world's deadliest diseases. During a recent media roundtable of the 26th Philippine National Immunization Conference in Pampanga, pediatric infectious disease expert Dr. Josefina Carlos and Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) president Dr. Rose Capeding vouched for the proven safety and efficacy of vaccines.
According to Philippines News Agency, the conference, themed 'Advancing Better Immunization for Every Filipino,' gathered some of the country's top experts in infectious diseases, public health, and vaccinology for two days of learning with healthcare professionals. The roundtable discussion included topics on new vaccines for shingles and dengue. PFV organized the event in partnership with Takeda Philippines, a company committed to advancing better health through innovative and science-based treatments.
Based on World Health Organization (WHO) data, vaccination saves an average of six lives every minute. In the past 50 years, the WHO estimates that vaccination saved 154 million lives worldwide, most of them children. In recent years, public trust in vaccination has been threatened by misinformation, particularly unverified or fake news found online. However, recent reports indicate that vaccine acceptance among Filipinos has been improving, showing the country is overcoming vaccine hesitancy.
The PFV is actively advocating to provide accurate and science-backed information on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. The foundation aims for vaccination to become an essential part of protection for every Filipino across all stages of life. The WHO recognizes the expertise of the PFV, which is a member of WHO's Vaccine Safety Net, providing credible, science-based information regarding vaccination.
The experts also highlighted the burden of shingles, a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, with more than 90 percent of adults 50 years and older being carriers. Shingles vaccination, already available in the Philippines, has been shown effective against shingles and its complications.
Further addressing media questions, the doctors discussed dengue vaccination as part of integrated disease control and prevention. The Philippines, being a dengue-endemic country, recorded 234,855 cases and 912 deaths as of September. The Department of Health (DOH) recorded a decrease in dengue cases from Oct. 12 to 25 but emphasized the need for vigilance due to recent floodings.
Takeda's dengue vaccine, TAK-003, has demonstrated protection against all four dengue serotypes and is included on WHO's list of prequalified vaccines. It is the first approved dengue vaccine in the EU regardless of previous exposure and has been approved in 41 countries, with 20 million doses distributed in 11 endemic countries.
The PFV and its allies continue to provide science-based information on vaccines to inspire vaccine confidence and contribute to public health improvements. The foundation calls for everyone, including the media, to become vaccine warriors and champions in the fight against diseases.
