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May 13, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Anti-Rabies Drugs Are Prohibitively Expensive"

Philippine Daily Inquirer (www.philnews.com) (05/12/02) P. 2; Giron, Marietta Velasco

In the Philippines, the cost and unavailability of anti-rabies vaccines is becoming a serious problem.  According to the Immunization and Disease Control section of the Bureau of Animal Industry, each year between 200,000 people and 400,00 people are bitten by dogs in the Philippines.  Officials say that 99 percent of rabies cases there involve dogs, and the Bureau of Animal Industry has found that the number of confirmed cases of animal rabies has actually increased in recent years, from 2,098 in 2000 to 2,550 in 2001.  Unfortunately, the high cost of anti-rabies vaccines--it can cost up to 22,000 Philippine pesos for a complete five-shot regimen--means that many people who are potentially exposed to the disease may not be able to pay for it.

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