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OCTOBER 25 – Dato ‘Health Minister Sri Dr. Adham Baba should clarify and make transparent the process for licensing and procuring available coronavirus vaccines, while a bamboo flooring manufacturer company Kange International Berhad , with close ties to Umno politicians, has signed an agreement with the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinopharm to distribute, promote and market its Covid-19 vaccine in Malaysia, despite the fact that Sinopharm’s candidate vaccine is still in clinical trials. phase three and has not yet been approved for full use in Malaysia.
From now on, according to the New York TimesCoronavirus Vaccine Tracker, There are 12 virus vaccines that are in the final stage of Phase 3 large-scale efficacy clinical trials before being approved for full use, including coronavirus vaccines produced in China, while there are 6 vaccines approved for limited and emergency use. all over the world.
The Butantan Institute of Brazil has just approved the import of 6 million of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine for new phase 3 clinical trials, after having established its safety and efficacy after having tested the vaccine in 9 thousand volunteers in clinical trials phase 3. Malaysia should have participated in clinical trials of vaccine safety and efficacy without declaring a state of emergency. Malaysia should have started an emergency effort to search for an effective vaccine in collaboration with other international pharmaceutical companies and the WHO COVAX program from last March. Apparently, the early elections of Sheraton Move and Sabah have changed the country’s priority in the fight against the Covid pandemic with effective means to the political maneuvers of self-interest of the current Nasional Government of Perikatan.
Both Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussien also announced on October 13 that Malaysia had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China to prioritize the distribution of the Corona Virus vaccines manufactured in China for the next december.
However, according to the report of the Internet portal Code Blue dated October 5, citing Fitch Solutions sources, it had already been announced on September 29 that a company linked to a government politician Kange International Berhad had already signed a three-year license agreement with China. Sinopharm, a pharmaceutical company owned by Sinopharm, will distribute, promote and market its Covid-19 vaccine in Malaysia before the vaccine has been tested in local clinical trials and officially approved for full use in Malaysia.
While a diplomatic agreement with China for easier access to vaccines made in China is welcome, the Minister of Health should inform the public how coronavirus vaccines should be licensed for full or emergency use in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Malaysia has relied on foreign agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to obtain drug and vaccine licenses. Malaysia should have used this crisis to boost our own research and development capacity, including the pharmaceutical field, starting with the basic research technique such as validating the efficacy and safety of coronavirus vaccines by participating in clinical trials of various available vaccines.
Malaysia should learn from Japan, where all pharmaceuticals, such as vaccines, must be tested and validated by clinical trials conducted by its own agencies and research institutes before approval for full use in that country. Currently, there are several coronavirus vaccines that are being considered for licensing in Japan, which would not only ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccines to be licensed, but would also prevent monopoly of the market by any particular brand.
The federal government announced that Malaysia would import three million doses of Corona vaccines under the WHO COVAX program with equal access to the vaccine that would benefit only 5-10% of the population, while bilateral agreements will be made with China and the British and Swedes. pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca. More extensive testing of vaccines is needed to ensure an adequate supply of effective vaccines to the general public at affordable prices in the future.
Amid the Covid pandemic, emergency measures should have focused on establishing an urgent approach to solving the crisis with science and technology. Phase 3 clinical trials on various coronavirus vaccines could be conducted accordingly in the red zones, especially in Sabah and Selangor, including vaccines offered by Chinese companies, the Oxford team under Astra Zeneca, and any other potential vaccine candidate in the trials. Phase 3 clinical trials would help validate the safety and efficacy profile of each vaccine to be approved for full use, while shortening the time needed to be approved for local use.
I urge the government of the day to stop politicizing the pandemic for its own political interest, and instead fight the coronavirus pandemic as the main national interest, with a sensible, scientific and public health approach by making the process of transparency transparent. license and purchase of any coronavirus vaccine. in the market.
* Dr. Boo Cheng Hau is a former Skudai Assemblyman and a member of the Johor DAP State Committee.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the opinions of Malay Post.
