DOH condemns retired prof for vaccine misinformation

The Department of Health (DOH) condemned Dr. Romeo Quijano, a retired UP College of Medicine professor, for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, calling his actions irresponsible amid the ongoing pandemic and the threat of the Delta variant.

The DOH emphasized that global real-world evidence consistently shows COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths, even with increasing COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Quijano allegedly stated in a radio interview and a video that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe and more dangerous than the virus.

The department expressed concern that media outlets providing platforms for such baseless information harm undecided Filipinos, acknowledging the prevalence of online misinformation.

The Philippine General Hospital and the UP College of Medicine issued a joint statement assuring the public of vaccine safety and urging them to trust official statements from health organizations.