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PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has temporarily stopped the use of two influenza vaccines as a precautionary measure, following the deaths of several people who received influenza vaccines in South Korea.
The decision by the Ministry of Health (MoH) comes after Singapore also announced the suspension of the two vaccines, SKYCellflu Quadrivalent and VaxigripTetra, earlier this week.
Senior Director of Pharmaceutical Services Dr. Faridah Aryani said there were only nine flu vaccine products registered under the Drug Control Authority in the country, including the two vaccines associated with deaths in South Korea.
“Only VaxigripTetra, which was suspended by injection in a pre-filled syringe, was supplied to health centers under the ministry,” it said in a statement today.
Faridah added that Sanofi Pasteur, the pharmaceutical company that makes VaxigripTetra, had announced that the batch number of the vaccines used in South Korea was not available in the other countries, including Malaysia.
“So far, no deaths have been reported after vaccination against influenza (quadrivalent) in the country.
“However, as a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Health advises all physicians to temporarily stop using SKYCellflu Quadrivalent and VaxigripTetra vaccine products.”
Faridah said the Health Ministry would provide updates on the situation after more information was obtained.
Meanwhile, he said, the ministry continuously conducts quality controls on registered medical devices to ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs in the country.
