FORMER Health secretary Janette Garin on Wednesday appeared before Congress to face the probe on the procurement of P3.5 billion worth of dengue vaccines.
Garin explained why the Department of Health sought an exemption from the Formulary Executive Council to buy the dengue vaccine, saying there was a need to do so because of the backlogs in the pending applications with FEC composed of experts in medicine, pharmacology and toxicology that would determine if a drug should be in the list of the Philippine National Drug Formulary.
The probe stemmed from the reduction of the normal processing time for product registration within 254 days to only seven months from May 2015 to December 2015.
Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Paulino Salvador Leachon questioned the supposed hasty approval of the procurement of dengue vaccines.
But Dr. Julius Lecciones, Philippine Children's Medical Center executive director, said the procurement was regular and in order.
Leachon questioned DoH's purchase of vaccines with Sanofi amid allegations of overseas fraud issues.
The Health department said they were not aware of Sanofi's conviction on any lawsuits.
Garin also denied accusations that the procurement was related to the May 2016 elections.
She said 2014 was the original date of the procurement plan to roll out the nationwide dengue vaccination program.