DPR Asks BPOM To Explain To Stop The Development Of Archipelago Vaccines For Mass Vaccination

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the DPR, Azis Syamsuddin, regrets that the development of the Nusantara vaccine for the purpose of mass vaccination has been stopped.

Previously, the government through the Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Chief of Army Staff (KSAD) General Andika Perkasa and Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K Lukito had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to dendritic cell service-based research.

"The DPR continues to encourage the government and BPOM to provide a clear explanation to the public regarding the agreement to stop the development of the Nusantara vaccine for mass vaccination," said Azis, Tuesday, April 20.

The Golkar politician hopes that the government's clarity can resolve the uproar that occurred some time ago regarding the development of the Nusantara vaccine.

"The DPR also supports the Ministry of Health in supervising the continuation of the development of the Nusantara vaccine. It is hoped that this will not turn off the spirit of the nation's children to innovate, especially in the medical field," said Azis.

However, the DPR still appreciates the steps of the Ministry of Health and BPOM which are willing to continue the development of Nusantara vaccines for research. According to him, the Nusantara Vaccine should be continued accompanied by scientific publications, both national and international.

With the existence of both national and international scientific journals, said Azis, all related parties can and are open to conducting studies.

"Just continue so that it can avoid negative judgments. Of course this should be accompanied by scientific journals so that the public will also know. If you only put forward opinions and suggestions, you will not find the points. Now many people are not in the capacity to review health science but also comment," explained Azis.

"From the start, I suggested to sit together, carry out dialogue and communication between related parties so that a common understanding can be achieved, in order to find out as well as improve what is deemed necessary to be completed and perfected," continued the former chairman of Commission III of the DPR.

Azis reminded that in order to accelerate the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia, the government through Presidential Decree Number 18 of 2020 dated 3 September 2020 has formed a COVID-19 Vaccine Development Team.

The team is tasked with developing a domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine called the Red and White Vaccine. Domestic vaccines aim to create self-reliance in meeting the needs of the COVID-19 vaccine in the future.

Research on the Red and White Vaccine was carried out by six domestic institutions, namely the Eijikman Institute, LIPI, UI, UGM, ITB and Airlangga University. Meanwhile, for clinical trials, production and distribution are left to the state-owned company PT Bio Farma.

"We hope that the steps taken can accommodate the wishes of researchers who are the nation's children who have participated to find vaccines in the context of handling COVID-19 in Indonesia and anticipate vaccine shortages in Indonesia," said Azis.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding dendritic cell service-based research between the Ministry of Health, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army and the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has been carried out.

Based on the agreement, the research will be carried out at the Gatot Soebroto Central Army Hospital (RSPAD), Jakarta.

In the future, the results of Nusantara vaccine research will only be used for certain purposes, not for commercial and mass vaccination.