BPOM Wants Red And White Vaccines To Be Registered With WHO So That They Can Be Exported

Head of BPOM Penny Kusumastuti Lukito/DOK ANTARA

SURABAYA - The Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, said that he would oversee the phase three clinical trial of the Red Vaccine to the maximum. If the results are good, Penny hopes that the vaccine will be registered with the World Health Organization (WHO) so that it can be exported.

"We hope that this vaccine (Unair's Merah Putih) will also be registered with WHO and in the future it will not only become an alternative domestic choice, but also become an export product," said Penny, at the Kick Off Phase 3 Red and White Vaccine Clinical Test at Unair, Surabaya, Monday, June 27.

Penny said that if the Red and White Vaccine can be registered with WHO and exported, it is not impossible that the name will be changed to become more universal.

Penny is ready to ask President Joko Widodo for a name if Unair's Red and White Vaccine can be exported later. He again requested that the results of the phase three clinical trial of the Red and White Vaccine be obtained immediately, so that it could be mass-produced immediately.

"Maybe later with the name we asked the President, with a more universal name if later it can actually be exported," he said.

Penny stated that the success of the development of the Unair Red and White Vaccine is a source of pride for all elements of the nation. Considering that Unair's Red Lutih Vaccine is the first vaccine made by the nation's children, which really started from scratch in the country.

"So from the vaccine seeds, the virus is from Indonesia, from our patients in Indonesia. So it's really proud," he said.

Director of Pharmaceutical Production and Distribution of the Ministry of Health, Agusdini Banun Saptaningsih, added that the development of the Unair Red and White Vaccine is a big step in Indonesia's efforts to achieve independence in the field of vaccine production. He said the COVID-19 pandemic had made policy makers aware of strengthening the defense of the health system.

"We will also transform the health sector, one of which is for the resilience of the health system through pharmaceutical resilience," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the allocation of the Red and White Vaccine, Agusdini said, it is likely that it will later be used for boosters and children's vaccines. However, he still can't confirm the age range of the children who are the targets of the Unair Red and White Vaccine on the grounds that they still have to do further research.

"But it is encouraged other than as a booster, also to vaccinate children," he said.