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Graça Freitas, Director General of Health (DGS), fears that the parliament's decision to integrate vaccines into the national immunization program – the approval was made on Tuesday, in the budget specialty of the & # 39; 39 – state – could create precedents. "It may happen that a precedent is created in a case that is the subject of an order and a health ordinance," said this manager Thursday at a news conference. press conference.
Graça Freitas also stated that he had "absolute certainty" that the deputies who made this decision are "extremely sensitive" to these issues, believing that in the future, they will ensure "no not incur a kind of situation that may "" scientific and technical criteria, scientific evidence and good medical practice ".
The general director of health also revealed that the intention of the director general of health was good, but regretted that the commission did not hear the entity. had heard the DGS and the Immunization Technical Committee and had taken into account the various opinions that the DGS had sent to Parliament over the years. "
The parliamentary decision provides for the inclusion of three new vaccines in the vaccination program: meningitis B, rotavirus and HPV for men.
Regarding the vaccines in question, Graça Freitas said that these were still under study by the technical evaluation committee.
Regarding the vaccine against meningitis B, he said that studies are under way to determine whether the "vaccine is effective or not" on the type of bacteria present in Portugal. On HPV, we have just said that the Technical Committee on Immunization has data to make a recommendation. As for rotavirus, he explained that this disease "does not have enough weight in Portugal" to be included in the program.
He said he would wait for the parliament's decision: "The DG is a good person, complies with the law and will calmly wait to see the decision of parliament."
Minister surprised
The decision to extend the immunization program also surprised Health Minister Marta Temido. On Wednesday, in statements to "RTP", the minister said that this enlargement was not advised by the DGS. "We are evaluating the direction in which the wording of the standard will eventually be published," he said.
According to the Minister, the National Vaccination Commission had not yet finalized the regulation as the need to make two of the three vaccines available throughout the country was still under study.
For the Medical Association, making this decision without consulting the DGS was a mistake. In Lusa, Miguel Guimarães, the medical staff, said that he saw this situation "with great concern"
"I think the Assembly of the Republic is wrong to make its decision without hearing the Health Branch.It is a lack of respect for health professionals and the general direction of health it same, "said the president.
Ana Jorge, former Minister of Health, spoke Thursday about the pressure of pharmacists to get certain drugs approved. However, in "Público", some health officials have denied putting pressure on pharmacists to make a decision.
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