The Polemic Of The Food and Drug Administration Vs The Nusantara Vaccine, Okky Asokawati Nasdem: It Is Time For Jokowi To Handle This

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian vaccine research team and the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) are adhering to their opposing attitudes. The BPOM stated that the Nusantara vaccine was not yet feasible to proceed to the phase 2 clinical trial. However, researchers are determined to continue their clinical trials.

Chairman of the Central Executive Board (DPP) in Health Sector of NasDem Party, Okky Asokawati, regretted the confusion about the domestic vaccine within the government. She asked President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to step in directly to resolve this polemic.

"I think the President can summon the polemic parties to immediately stop this polemic and put the matter in a clear, clear, and transparent position. Various speculations that have emerged in the public should stop immediately", said Okky.

Okky argues that the research team and the BPOM should not go to court in public when the government is trying to get out of the health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Okky hopes that polemic parties can refrain from making statements that confuse the public. She encouraged health affairs to be placed in the right portion.

In fact, according to her, the situation was more complicated when a number of figures took action to support the Nusantara Vaccine and support for the BPOM.

"In fact, this is a health matter, but it goes into supporting action. This is very naive", she said.

"Let us put the health sector in the right portion, instead of building a narrative whose emphasis is on political matters in the form of mobilizing support", she added.

For information, the Nusantara vaccine polemic begins with the results of the BPOM evaluation which considers that the phase 1 vaccine clinical trial made by former Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has not met the rules. This has led to the absence of a green light for researchers to continue the phase 2 clinical trial.

However, on Wednesday, April 14, a number of political figures and officials, including members of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), joined the phase II clinical trial volunteers. In this stage, the vaccine volunteers will take a blood sample to be processed for the next 7 days.

Responding to this, the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K. Lukito said that if the Nusantara vaccine was determined to continue the stages. This is because her party has not issued a phase 2 permit.

"The results of the BPOM assessment related to phase 1 of the clinical trial of the dendritic or the Nusantara vaccine is that it cannot be continued to phase 2. It is clear. What is currently happening is outside the POM, in this case, it is not us to judge it", Penny in a virtual press conference, Friday, April 16.