The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday, July 9, 2026, that no dengue vaccine is currently registered in the country, and it cautioned the public against counterfeit vaccines circulating in the market.
FDA confirms Qdenga not yet registered
In an advisory, the FDA stated that the Qdenga dengue vaccine, manufactured by Japanese firm Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, has not yet received registration approval. “To date, Qdenga is not yet registered with the FDA. The application for registration is still on process,” the FDA said.
Counterfeit vaccine detected
The advisory was issued after the FDA detected a counterfeit version of “QdengaTM Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine (Live, Attenuated) Powder for Injection” in the market. “All healthcare professionals and the general public are hereby warned as to the availability of this counterfeit vaccine in the market,” the FDA said. The agency warned that using counterfeit vaccines could pose serious health risks to consumers.
Penalties for selling counterfeit products
The FDA also warned all establishments and outlets against selling or dispensing the counterfeit product. “Anyone found selling the said counterfeit drug product will be penalized,” the FDA said. It called on local government units and law enforcement agencies to ensure the product is not sold or made available in their jurisdictions.
History of dengue vaccination in the Philippines
The Philippines previously implemented a dengue vaccination program in 2016 through the Department of Health, using Dengvaxia, a vaccine developed by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur. That program was later suspended after Sanofi disclosed that Dengvaxia could put individuals who had never been infected with dengue at higher risk of developing severe dengue.
