Jakarta (ANTARA) - The IndoVac COVID-19 vaccine produced by state-owned pharmaceuticals holding PT Bio Farma officially received a halal certificate from the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH).
The company is scheduled to export the vaccine in the near future.
"The IndoVac vaccine has officially obtained a Fatwa and Halal Decree from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) that is then used as the basis for the issuance of a Halal Certificate by BPJPH. We ensure that the entire process and production chain of the IndoVac Vaccine has met the requirements for halal products," Bio Farma President Director Honesti Basyir noted in a statement on Thursday.
In addition, the IndoVac vaccine production facility had earlier received a Good Manufacturing Practice (CPOB) certificate from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) on April 9, 2022. Meanwhile, data on quality, potency, production process of active substances, finished products, and stability are also in accordance with BPOM's policies.
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Based on Law Number 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Guarantee, halal certification of a product aims to provide comfort, security, safety, and certainty over the availability of halal products for the community.
Basyir noted that halal certification is one of IndoVac's advantages in the global market after obtaining the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO).
"Apart from obtaining an emergency use permit (EUA) from BPOM on September 29, 2022, Bio Farma is currently registering the EUL with the WHO in order to meet requests from abroad. Of course, halal certificates are an added value, especially for the market of Muslim countries," he stated.
He remarked that Bio Farma has conducted clinical trials of the IndoVac Vaccine in three stages, in accordance with BPOM's standards, with good results in efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. The safety of IndoVac can be seen from the results of clinical trials with mild Post Immunization Adverse Events (KIPI), in the form of local pain around the injection area, with no severe intensity events.
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In addition, the IndoVac vaccine is able to increase antibody titers, thereby reducing a person's risk of being infected with COVID-19, he stated.
"The EUA has been released by BPOM, then we are ready to produce IndoVac to meet the vaccination needs of the Indonesian people," Basyir remarked.
He added that the IndoVac vaccine will soon be exported, with the initial stage starting with donating the IndoVac vaccine to several lower-middle income countries, including Africa.
Later, the donation scheme will be channeled through the multilateral cooperation of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) COVAX Facility.
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