BPOM Issues Permit For Emergency Use Of Pfizer Vaccines

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine from the United States.

"Today, adding to the type of COVID-19 vaccine, BPOM on Wednesday July 14, 2021 has published the EUA for the comirnatie vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioTech with the mRNA platform," said Penny in a virtual press conference, Thursday, July 15.

Thus, a total of six types of COVID-19 vaccines have received EUA from BPOM to be used in Indonesia.

In addition to Pfizer, BPOM has previously issued EUA Coronavac from Sinovac from China, AstraZeneca obtained from COVAX facilities, Sinopharm from Beijing, and Moderena from the United States.

Penny explained, based on the results of phase III clinical trials, the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine showed efficacy or efficacy of 95.5 percent at the age of 16 years and over and 100 percent at the age of 12 to 15 years.

"The immunogenicity data shows that the administration of two doses of the Comirnaty vaccine in an interval of 3 weeks has resulted in a good response," said Penny.

Vaccines with this mRNA platform have special storage specifications, namely using ultra low temperatures. The temperature should be in the range of -90 to -60 degrees Celsius.

"Of course this is something that needs to be guarded in carrying out its distribution. However, PT Pfizer as a producer has prepared the necessary facilities and infrastructure to the point of injection where the vaccination is carried out. This is in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, to be able to carry out the distribution process properly," he explained. .

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin previously said that 50 million US-made Pfizer vaccines would soon arrive in Indonesia.

This was agreed in the Ministry of Health's collaboration with Pfizer-BioNTech in the provision of a vaccine called 162b2 throughout 2021.

Minister of Health Budi said he welcomed the cooperation in the procurement of Pfizer vaccines in Indonesia. The vaccine is one of the COVID-19 vaccines used for the accelerated vaccination program in Indonesia.

"I thank you for your cooperation in helping to meet the needs of the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia. With the increase in the stock of 50 million doses of the Pfizer brand of vaccine, it is hoped that it will accelerate the implementation of vaccinations in Indonesia," said Budi on Wednesday, July 14.