The Institute for Clinical Research (ICR), Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has denied Pharmaniaga Bhd's claim that a mixture of 2 doses of Sinovac Covid-19 vaskin and 1 dose of Pfizer-BioNTech booster was not effective against Omicron.
The ICR in a statement said the allegations issued by Pharmaniaga were ‘misrepresentation of facts and evidence’, in addition to continuing to recommend Sinovac vaccine recipients to take Pfizer or AstraZeneca as a booster dose.
He added that there is strong evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) that heterologous booster vaccines (a mixture of Sinovac primary vaccine and Pfizer booster vaccine) produce a more effective immune response than recipients of homologous booster doses (3 doses of Sinovac vaccine), which is believed to fail to prove the antibody reaction neutralizes to Omicron.
In this regard, the MOH remains adamant that mixing Sinovac vaskin with Pfizer or AstraZeneca is safer and more effective against Omicron.
This Vaccine From India Can Be Used During Disasters
Meanwhile, health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the COVAXIN Covid-19 vaccine, manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited in India, had been given conditional approval for use during disasters.
According to him, the Drug Control Authority (DCA) has given conditional approval on its quality, safety and effectiveness.
COVAXIN, registered under Averroes Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd, will be used for active immunization to prevent Covid-19 caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus in individuals aged 18 years and above.
