SIX 1'1 ':1 'NI'I I CON(iRI':SS OF THI': RI":I'IJBLTC

()I! '1'111 ( 1'111 UPI'I N I':S

First Regular Session

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'13 DEC -3 P2 :29

SI':NAII':
S,No,

1991

Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

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L(XI' I ,ANATORY NOTE

The Constitulion, Article 2, Section I:; provides:

SI':C. 15, The State shall protect and promote the righlto health of
the pcople and insti II health consciolLsness among them,

The Philippine government is reportedly spending around B2,4 billion yearly on

the Ikpartmellt or Ilcalth expand cd progralll or immunization, Childhood iml1lunizations
arc said to be an important tool ill protecting children ]i'om infectious disease,
Ilowever, in the lJnited States, the incidence of chronic, unexplained diseases such
as autism, leal'1ling disabilities, and other neurological disorders reportedly appears to
have increased dramatically in rccent years,

These disorders arc somehow linked to

childhood ilnrnunizations,
Thus, the proposed bill seeks to do a comprehensive study examining whether
there arc

dilTercnt

health

outcomes

when

comparing vaccinated

children and

unvaccinated children, including autism and chronic conditions, I

''I'ilis bill was originally filed inlhe U,S, Itollse "I' Representatives (113'" Congress, I" Session)
by Mr, Ilill i'osey and Mrs, Carolyn [3, Maloney or New York, IillIU/\V\V\Y,,llQ,goy/[dsys/pl(gilllI,,",S,
II Jill I 757ih/pdlil1i 1,1 S_ll}ilrl75 7iilJ1<lf'

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SIXIEI':NTII CONGRI':SS 01' Tllh IU':I'Um,lC

OF Till: I'IIILlI'I'INI':S
First Rcgular ScssioJl

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13 DEG -3 P2 :29

SENATE
S. No. -1991

Introduccd by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago

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AN ACT
DIRI\CTINej '1'111 i SI':CRETARY OF rmALTll TO CONJ)UCT A COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY COMI'ARINC; TOTAL m:ALTll OUTCOMES, INCLUDING RISK Of
AUTISM, IN V ACCINATF]) POPULATION WITH SUCI] OUTCOMES IN
UNVACCINATlm POPULATIONS

He il ('nilcled liy Ihe ,)'enale ([nd the Ilouse of Represenlatives of the Philippines in
Congress assell1hied:

S,':CTION I. Short Tifle. This Act shall bc known as thc "Vaccine Sarety Study

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Act."

SI:CTION 2. Study on !-lealth Outcomes in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated

Popli/otions ..
(a) In (jeneml. The Secretary of Ilcalth (referred to as the" Secretary") shall
conduct or support a comprchensive study

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(I) to comparc total health outcomes, including the incidencc and risk or

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autism, in vaccinated populations with such outcomes in unvaccinated populations

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in the country; and

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(2) to determine; whethcr exposurc to vaccincs or vaccine components IS

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associated

with

autism

spectrum

disorders, . chronic conditions,

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ncurological conditions.

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(b) Rule (!/Col/slruction. -- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the

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conduct or support of filly study in which an individual or popLllation is encouraged or

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inccntivi/.cd to n;Jllain ullvaccinated.

or other

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(c) Quali/icatiolls,

With rcspeet to each investigator carrying out the study under

this Act, the Sccretary shall ensure thatthc investigator

(I) is objective;

(2) is qualified to carry out such study, as evidenced by training

experiences and demonstrated skill;

(3) is not elll'rcntiy employed by any government health agency;

({~)

is not currently a mcmber of a board, commillec, or othcr entity

responsible for formulating illlJ11unLcation policy on behalf of any gove1'l1ment

health agency or any component thcreoC;

(5) has no history oC a strong position on the thimerosal or vaccine safety

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controversy; and
(0) is not currently an employee of;

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receiving lilllds li'olll, a pharmaceutical company,

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(d) Target Populations,

otherwise directly or indirectly

The Secrclary shall seek to include in the study under

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this Act populations in the country that have traditionally remained unvaccinated for

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religious or other reasons, which populations members of clinical practices who choose

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alternative medical practices, practitioners 01' anthroposophie lifestyles, and others who

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havc chosen not to be vaccinated,

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(c) Timing, ... Not latcr than 120 days'aner the elate of the efTectivity of this Act,

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the Seerclary shall issue a request j(lr proposals to conduct the study required by this Act.

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Not later than 120 days allcr receipt of any such proposal, the Secretary shall approve or

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disapprove the proposal. 1f the Secretary clisapproves the proposal, the Secretary shall

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provide the appl icant involved with a written explanation of the reasons for the

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disapproval.

(I)

"'(lI1SpllrCnC)!, '"

To nlcilitatc JiJrther research by thc Secretary or others, the

Secretary shall enSlll'C thc prcservation of all data, including all data sets, collected or

used Il}r purposes oJ"thc study under this scction.

SECTION 3, SCl'((rahilily Clause." lI'any provision or part hereoC is held invalid

or unconstitutional, the remainder

relllain valid and subsisting.

01" the

law or the provision not otherwise affected shall

SI:CTION 4. Repealing Clause, -- Any law, presidential decree or issuance,

cxecutive o["(\(;r, Ictter or instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to

or is inconsistcnt with the provision or this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended

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accordingly.

SI:CTION 5. H{!i'clivily Clause. ,,' This Act shall take cllect Ijileen (IS) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

I!ldp2Clllov20 1.1