We’ll study Sinovac clinical trial data before approving vaccine, says Khairy

We’ll study Sinovac clinical trial data before approving vaccine, says Khairy

The science, technology and innovation minister says the government will only procure the vaccine when it is satisfied with its safety and efficacy.

Indonesia today rolled out one of the world’s biggest Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, with President Joko Widodo being the first to be inoculated with Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine. (AP pic)
KUALA LUMPUR:
Malaysia, which is negotiating supplies of a Covid-19 vaccine with China’s Sinovac Biotech, will only go ahead with its procurement if it satisfies the safety and efficacy standards of local regulators, a minister said today.

Brazil has triggered concerns about Sinovac’s vaccine after clinical trials found that it was only 50.4% effective at preventing symptomatic infections.

The findings were released just as Indonesia rolled out one of the world’s biggest Covid-19 vaccination campaigns today, with President Joko Widodo being the first to be inoculated with Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine.

Malaysia will first review Sinovac’s clinical data before deciding, science, technology and innovation minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter.

“If we are not satisfied with its safety and efficacy, we will not go through with the procurement,” Khairy said.

Yesterday, Malaysia’s Pharmaniaga Bhd signed a deal with Sinovac to purchase 14 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines and later to manufacture it domestically.

Malaysia is also in talks with another Chinese manufacturer, CanSino Biologics, and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, the maker of the Sputnik V vaccine, to secure a total of 23.9 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

This would be on top of vaccines procured from US and German drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech, and British-Swedish biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca PLC.

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