Experts Argue, The Covid-19 Vaccine To Be Used Is Ensured Safe And Effective

KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian government through President Joko Widodo ensures that the vaccines to be used in handling the Covid-19 pandemic are safe and effective.

Related to that, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University (Unpad) Prof. Dr. dr. Cissy Rachiana Sudjana said that giving vaccines or vaccinations is the most effective way to reduce morbidity, mortality, and disability.

“Even though the level of effectiveness of vaccines differs from one another, one thing that is certain is that vaccines in circulation must have obtained permission from the competent authority and meet safety requirements,” said Prof. / 2020).

The same thing was also expressed by a vaccinologist and specialist in internal medicine, Dr. Dirga Sakti Rambe. According to him, each vaccine has different effectiveness. However, vaccines will not receive permission for use or distribution if their effectiveness does not meet the requirements and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).

“For the Covid-19 vaccine, WHO has set a minimum effectiveness of 50 percent. Hopefully, there is a vaccine whose effectiveness is higher than the figures set by WHO, “said Dr. Dirga.

The manufacturing process for each vaccine has to go through a long process of research and clinical trials. However, advances in science and technology today can accelerate this process.

Even if it is faster, there is no compromise with security. This was revealed by a virologist and molecular biology expert from Udayana University, Prof. I Gusti Ngurah Mahardika. He believes that vaccine safety is an important matter that must be the concern of all parties.

“In addition to guaranteeing access to vaccines that are cheap and equitable for the whole society, the regulatory process on vaccine safety is absolutely no compromise. Vaccines really have to be safe before use, “he said.

To emphasize security, the manufacturing process needs to be supervised by various competent institutions. For example, the Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials in Bandung have used the same standards as in other countries.

The process is always supervised by supervisory bodies, such as the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), the Data Safety Monitor Board (DSMB), and the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University.

Member of the National Immunization Expert Advisory Committee from the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) Prof. Dr. dr Soedjatmiko, SpA (K) explained, this supervision is important and needs to be done to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine which is currently being developed by Bio Farma .

The BPOM does not play games and has strict standards in granting licenses to use vaccines. The quality of vaccines is guaranteed through evaluation of quality requirements and ensuring that vaccine production is in accordance with good drug manufacturing methods (CPOB).

After the evaluation process has been passed and the vaccine is deemed to meet the requirements from the aspect of safety and effectiveness, then BPOM can grant a license for use.

Furthermore, Dr. Dirga also emphasized that the news that reported the Covid-19 vaccine was ineffective and contained poison was wrong information.

“Any vaccine, including the Covid-19 vaccine, when it is widely used by the public, it must have received approval from the BPOM. “If there is a vaccine that has obtained permission to be used, it is certain that it is safe and effective,” he said.

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