TO FURTHER remove vaccine preference of Filipinos, the Department of Health (DOH) called on all doctors and medical practitioners not to prescribe a particular brand of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine to patients.
In a virtual press briefing Friday, May 21, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire urged physicians to help improve vaccine confidence in the country, instead of developing their preference for particular brands.
"We are asking for the help of our medical societies in improving the public's vaccine confidence. Help us counter vaccine preference of the people," said Vergeire.
She said they are issuing the call, as they have been getting reports that there are doctors who prescribe specific vaccine brands to their patients, especially those needing medical clearances.
"We have been getting anecdotal reports that there are physicians giving instructions to their patients that they will need specific brands of the Covid-19 vaccines," said Vergeire.
She said there are no scientific evidences that require specific brands to certain medical conditions.
"There is no specific brand that is supposedly most appropriate for any type of disease," she said.
All that is needed by particular people with comorbidities, such as those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), auto-immune diseases, cancer undergoing treatment, and transplant patients, is a medical clearance from their attending doctors.
"All vaccines may be provided to them, although there are diseases that require medical clearance," said Vergeire.
Earlier, the DOH discouraged the use of vaccine brands in promoting the respective vaccination activities of local government units.
The DOH said this is because all vaccines currently available in the country are safe, effective, and have been found to reduce risk of severe illness and prevent death after completing the required doses.
“We have to be reminded that vaccine confidence should be built in the stringent processes that lead to the vaccine development, local authorization, and recommended use of these vaccines, and definitely not by the brand,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in an earlier statement. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)