The Deputy Minister Of Health And The Head Of BPOM Are Deemed By The DPR Not To Support Terawan Nusantara Vaccines

JAKARTA - Former Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto claims his COVID-19 vaccine, the Nusantara Vaccine, is safe to use for people who have comorbidities or people with comorbidities.

This was conveyed by Terawan in front of the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology at a working meeting with the DPR.

"Hopefully this will become a good foundation, at least if to overcome autoimmune ones, or those with severe comorbidities, or those that are indeed constrained by other vaccines, this will be a solution or an alternative that can be used," said Terawan at the DPR building. , Wednesday, March 10.

In a working meeting at the DPR, Terawan Agus Putranto also denied the statement of the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K. Lukito, who said that the Nusantara vaccines did not meet clinical principles in the process of vaccine research and development.

The former Health Minister confirmed that the vaccine he is currently developing together with RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang, Diponegoro University is safe to use.

"The cell dendritic-based COVID-19 vaccine, which of course is autologous, is individual, of course, is very, very safe," said Terawan.

What is the DPR's response? Deputy Chairman of Commission IX DPR Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena questioned the support of the Ministry of Health and BPOM for the development of Indonesian vaccines.

“The meeting which lasted for 11 hours left a lot of questions for the leadership and members of the IX commission who were physically and virtually present at this meeting. From the beginning of the meeting to the completion of the meeting in the form of a special conclusion the Deputy Minister of Health and the Head of BPOM were impressed that they did not have the political will to support the Indonesian vaccine, "said Melki Laka Lena.

This Golkar politician touched on President Jokowi's attitude and direction to love domestic products. In the case of the Indonesian vaccine, Melki Laka Lena considered Jokowi's wishes not reflected in the responses of the Deputy Minister of Health and the Head of BPOM.

"The Minister of Health whose permission did not participate in the meeting with the IX commission because he attended the President Jokowi's event in Yogyakarta and Central Java, the information from the leaders and members of the IX commission turned out that the Minister of Health at the same time in Jakarta was participating in another event and was not present at the meeting with the IX commission, which adds to the question," he continued.

Melki Laka Lena ensured that the IX Commission would continue to supervise the follow-up process and at the same time encourage BPOM to directly assist Undip researchers and Kariadi Hospital. The presence of BPOM RI directly assisting in the field can speed up and prevent bureaucratization of the process to help speed up approval of phase 2 clinical trials.