The Department of Health said Thursday it partnered with the Philippine General Hospital to "independently review and validate" alleged deaths linked to recalled dengue vaccine.

Dengvaxia could cause "more cases of severe disease" if administered to those who have not had the mosquito-borne illness before, French drug-maker Sanofi said last month, prompting the government to suspend its public immunization program.

The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has claimed 3 children in Central Luzon died after receiving the world-first dengue vaccine.

The PGH, which is managed by state-run University of the Philippines, is the "most credible third party institution" to review the cause of the deaths and erase doubts that the DOH is concealing any information, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told reporters.

The DOH has also formed a panel of experts to examine new evidence on Dengvaxia and formulate guidelines to help those who received the vaccine. They will meet for the first time next week.

The health department's Epidemiology Bureau said it received reports that 36 people had been hospitalized for dengue after receiving Dengvaxia, as of Dec. 19.

The Senate, the House of Representatives and the Bureau of National Investigation are investigating the issue separately.

ANC, 21 December 2017