DPR: Don't Question The Expensive Cost Of Developing Corona Vaccines

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

JAKARTA - If nothing gets in the way, in the first quarter of 2021, Indonesia already has a Covid-19 vaccine made by the nation's children. The government is asked never to question the high costs of developing vaccines.

DPR Commission IX member Lucy Kurniasari hopes that the Covid-19 vaccine will soon be realized in this country even though it will suck up a large amount of funds to produce vaccines. It will be the greatest pride if Indonesia can find a Covid-19 vaccine that can be used throughout the world.

"However, the high cost does not need to be questioned, because this is related to human lives that need to be saved immediately. Therefore, I still hope that the original Indonesian vaccine can be realized soon. Because, it is an honor if Indonesia can find the Covid-19 vaccine and be used throughout. world, "wrote Lucy in her statement, Wednesday, July 22.

PT Bio Farma appointed Padjajaran University (Unpad) to implement the clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine. The head of the Unpad clinical trial research team, Kusnandi Rusmil, explained that this vaccine has been tested on animals and is declared safe.

Bio Farma stated that the price of the COVID-19 vaccine is in the range of 5-10 per US dollar or the equivalent of IDR 73,500 to IDR 147,000 per dose (rupiah exchange rate of IDR 14,700 per US dollar). Bio Farma has brought in a COVID-19 vaccine made by a Chinese company, Sinovac. Bio Farma received 2,400 vaccines on 19 July 2020.

Furthermore, Bio Farma will conduct the third phase of clinical trials which are scheduled to start in August and run for six months. The clinical trial process is targeted for completion in January 2021. After the third phase of clinical trials is completed and meets the requirements, the holding for the BUMN Pharmaceuticals will start producing vaccines.

"This clinical trial still requires time and relatively expensive costs. Therefore, if this clinical trial runs smoothly, then in 2021 it can be used," he added.

However, he still hopes that vaccine trials in Indonesia will not be wasted, because it has been done a lot and has spent a lot of money and time. Therefore, he hopes that all the work must be completed.

Member of Commission IX DPR RI Lucy Kurniasari (Photo: Andri / Man)

Who is Sinovac

Quoting the official website of Sinovac, a company based in Beijing, China, focuses on research, development, manufacture and sale of vaccines. Some of the products they have made include vaccines for hepatitis A and B, seasonal influenza, pandemic influenza H5N1 (bird flu), influenza H1N1 (swine flu), mumps and rabies.

In 2009, Sinovac was the first company in the world to receive approval for its H1N1 influenza vaccine. The company is also the only supplier of the H5N1 influenza pandemic vaccine for the Chinese government's vaccine stockpiling program.

Sinovac already conducted its first and second phase clinical trials in mid-June. At that time they immediately combined the first and second phase clinical trials. In that experiment, they attracted 700 volunteers to be tested.

As many as 90 percent of the 600 volunteers experienced this reaction. However, this has not clearly demonstrated whether the antibodies that appear can protect people against COVID-19 infection.

Therefore, they have to pass the third stage of clinical trials until the vaccine can be used by many people. Apart from Indonesia, Sinovac is also holding clinical trials in Brazil and Bangladesh.