UNAIR NEWS – Merah Putih vaccine has finalized the third phase of the clinical trial on August 4, 2022, with 4,005 volunteers. Prof Dr. Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih MSi, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Community Development Universitas Airlangga, stated that the Merah Putih vaccine is ready for COVID-19 vaccination booster. Currently, it waits for the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) certification to be administered as a booster.
Prof Nyoman said that her team had been assigned to prepare the vaccination and booster protocols. Merah Putih vaccine will be administered to children, adolescents, and adults. She hoped that the Merah Putih vaccine may contribute to the vaccination program, especially for santri (boarding school students) who have not been vaccinated and get boosters.
“We have prepared the protocols which are currently under BPOM review. As the requirements had fully met, there must be BPOM certification. After that, we will immediately conduct vaccination booster,” said Prof Nyoman on Ranah Publik: Merah Putih Vaccine for the World and Indonesia on Friday, August 26, 2022.
The Merah Putih vaccine can be both a homologous and heterologous booster vaccine. Homologous means that the third dose (booster) uses the same type of platform as the first and second vaccine doses. In contrast, the heterologous uses different types of vaccine with different platforms as the first and second doses.
“BPOM requested us to arrange the protocols, we proposed both the homologous and heterologous. We are waiting for BPOM’s final decision,” she said.
The Merah Putih vaccine, since its clinical trial, has been listed in the PeduliLindungi by the Health Ministry. However, the vaccine clinical trial status was unable to be posted in the application. Prof Nyoman stated that Dr Soetomo General Hospital will handle the matter to be inputted in the PeduliLindungi.
“Don’t worry, the volunteers’ names in our record will be processed and inputted in PeduliLindung. It is under administrative process,” she said.
As the vaccine has been listed in the World Health Organization (WHO), the Merah Putih vaccine will be globally distributed to African and Middle-East countries. With its halal certificate, the vaccine can be immediately used.
“We aspire to contribute as global vaccine as it already has halal certificate,” she said.
Author: Wiji Astutik
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
