UI Professor Develops Vaccine For TB Treatment Which Is Claimed To Be More Effective

Professor of Pulmonological and Medical Sciences at the University of Indonesia (UI) Prof. Dr. Dr. Erlina Burhan. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Professor of Pulmonology and Respirational Sciences at the University of Indonesia (UI) Prof. Dr dr. Erlina Burhan developed the M72 vaccine for more effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and will start in 2024. "If the TB is currently old, BCG -Bacille Calmette-Guerin- it has been since 1970. We at the Faculty of Medicine UI will immediately conduct clinical trials for the M72 vaccine, from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, hopefully it can be of public concern," Erlina said in a press conference after being confirmed as Professor at UI Salemba Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday 17 February. She explained, in addition to seeking the M72 vaccine which is currently being clinically tested phase three, TB's treatment is also being made innovation by shortening the treatment period, from the initial six months to four months. "The treatment of TB 4 months is being pursued, we have also tried to carry out many new studies in order to tackle TB in Indonesia, and later, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency -BPOM- will play a role in implementing the policy of making distribution permits for such drugs and vaccines when the research has been completed and is considered safe to use," he said. He also mentioned that the vaccine used previously, namely BCG, was ineffective because until now Indonesia still occupies the second highest ranking in the world with the most TB cases. "This new M72 vaccine, FKUI which will examine, we are conducting a third phase clinical trial, and in the second phase it is proven to have successfully removed TB by as much as 50 percent, so that BCG is not effective," he said. He complained that during this time most and for TB it was from outside, so he hoped for a new government after the 2024 general election (Pemilu), more attention to this TB case., "he said.

Terkait target eliminasi TB dengan mengakhiri epidemi TB pada tahun 2030, Erlina menegaskan bahwa perlu upaya lintas sektor yang berkelanjutan, dengan upaya yang terstruktur dan masif."Target eliminasi TB itu tahun 2030, tinggal enam tahun lagi, jadi kita berpacu dengan waktu, sehingga sekarang upayanya harus terstruktur dan masif, karena saat ini yang saya lihat itu di Indonesia orang bekerja sendiri-sendiri, ada yang mengerjakan terapi, diagnosis, tetapi tidak ada orkestrasi," katanya.Ia juga menekankan agar masyarakat tidak menganggap batuk-batuk sebagai gejala yang sepele, karena bisa jadi hal tersebut adalah gejala TB."Kasus TB itu, persoalannya masyarakat baru kaget kalau sudah batuk darah, orang-orang tidak ngerti kalau batuk-batuk itu berbahaya, dianggap sepele, jadi sebagai dokter, kita harus sampaikan bahwa batuk itu tidak normal, sehingga harus ada upaya untuk memeriksakan diri," katanya.