Philippines suspends Dengvaxia dengue-vaccination program after Sanofi safety warning (2017)
After the Philippine Department of Health introduced Dengvaxia in a school-based programme, Sanofi advised in November 2017 that vaccination could increase the risk of severe dengue in people without prior infection. In the causal graph this event strengthens Vaccine hesitancy and erosion of public trust in immunization, a driver that weakens First-dose measles vaccination coverage (global, MCV1) — a worsening welfare path.
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After the Philippine Department of Health introduced Dengvaxia in a school-based programme, Sanofi advised in November 2017 that vaccination could increase the risk of severe dengue in people without prior infection. The department suspended the programme.
Who was responsible
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No public contributors are listed for this fact.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactPhilippines suspends Dengvaxia dengue-vaccination program after Sanofi safety warning (2017)
- strengthensDriverVaccine hesitancy and erosion of public trust in immunization
- weakensIndicators (2)First-dose measles vaccination coverage (global, MCV1)
impact weight 0.7 · Effect from 29 November 2017 · verified
The contested handling and suspension of the Dengvaxia program is widely cited as a major boost to vaccine hesitancy and distrust of immunization in the Philippines. Causal magnitude is debated, hence medium confidence.
- Worse
First-dose measles vaccination coverage (global, MCV1)
via Vaccine hesitancy and erosion of public trust in immunization
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.42 (weight 0.7 × strength 0.6)
Observed
84% of one-year-olds · 11 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal7 readings, 2018–2024: fell from 86.4% of one-year-olds to 84% of one-year-olds.
Above normal = better
- Worse
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.28 (weight 0.7 × strength 0.4)
Observed
37.4 deaths per 1,000 live births · 12.4 above the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal7 readings, 2018–2024: fell from 40 deaths per 1,000 live births to 37.4 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Above normal = worse
Evidence
The sources behind this fact and its verification state.
What the sources establish
This record covers the documented programme and safety response without assigning individual legal culpability.
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- FactPhilippines suspends Dengvaxia dengue-vaccination program after Sanofi safety warning (2017)
- strengthensDriverVaccine hesitancy and erosion of public trust in immunization
- weakensIndicatorFirst-dose measles vaccination coverage (global, MCV1)
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). Philippines suspends Dengvaxia dengue-vaccination program after Sanofi safety warning (2017). Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/ph-fact-dengvaxia-suspension-2017
https://factrail.ai/facts/ph-fact-dengvaxia-suspension-2017
Accessed 15 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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