Brazil keeps dengue vaccine Qdenga for children as Butantan dose suspended

The Brazilian Ministry of Health has temporarily suspended the Butantan‑produced dengue vaccine for health‑care professionals after reports of severe adverse events. The suspension applies only to that vaccine and does not affect the routine immunisation programme for children aged 10 to 14 years, which uses Takeda’s Qdenga. Municipal health secretaries in São José (Santa Catarina), Schroeder (Santa Catarina) and the state health department of Goiás confirmed that Qdenga continues to be offered in all public health units, following the two‑dose schedule with a three‑month interval. Over 8 million Qdenga doses have been administered nationwide since 2024, and more than 10 000 doses have been given in Goiás, where only one adverse‑event case is under investigation and no deaths have been linked to the vaccine. Authorities emphasized that the child vaccination campaign remains unchanged, urging parents to complete the full series to protect against severe dengue. The suspension of the Butantan vaccine is limited to adult health workers and is being reviewed by the Ministry of Health and Anvisa while investigations continue.