Gov’t Committed to Supporting COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial
The Indonesian Government has expressed support for clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine planned for completion in January next year.
“We (the research team) are planning to complete the clinical trial in January using a total of 1,620 samples. The injecting measures will then be carried out by Ministry of Health,” Head of the Research Team of Faculty of Medicine of Padjadjaran University Kusnandi Rusmil said in Jakarta, Tuesday (21/7).
Sharing a similar sentiment, Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny Kusumastuti Lukito said the agency would conduct Phase III of the clinical trial, which is the most important and advanced stage of vaccine development.
“It means that we almost reach the final process of finding and producing the vaccine after we passed the pre-clinics, Phase I, Phase II stages,” Penny added.
The BPOM, she added, guarantees that the protocol of this clinical trial is valid.
The agency will assist the whole process so that the issuance of the distribution permit can be sped up, she added.
“The BPOM will also assist the production process that will be carried out by state-owned pharmacy company Bio Farma in terms of facilities so by the time the clinical trial is completed, we will issue a distribution permit and distribute it immediately,” Penny explained.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto said his Ministry will prepare personnel to carry out the vaccination procedures, as well as the budget.
“We will discuss with Ministry of Finance regarding the budget and we hope everything will run smoothly,” said Terawan.
In the meantime, President Director of Bio Farma Honesti Basyir said the company would ensure that vaccine production capacity could be managed properly, adding that the company has to date prepared 100 million doses per year and is set to increase the number to 250 million doses per year.
“However, for the first phase in accordance with the January clinical trial completion target, and following the completion of the clinical trial and the issuance of the distribution permit, Bio Farma has set target of completing around 40 million doses per year,” Basyir said. (FID/EN)
Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas