THE full story on the longer safety aspects of the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines is still unknown, especially the ultra-sensitive and highly unstable mRNA vaccine developed by the US-based biotech firm Pfizer, which requires refrigeration of -70 degrees to -80 degrees Celsius.  

We would like to stress we are not anti-vaxxers but non-disclosure of the vaccine’s safety aspects is as bad as spreading false news. If the vaccine is to cause serious long-term side effects, who will be held responsible, since the vaccine producer would likely get legal immunity? 

A scandalous example: the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia – developed by a leading MNC biotech firm in the Philippines in 2016, was approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). But 130 children died after being vaccinated. Twenty government officials and medical experts have so far been indicted in the Philippines in 2019 for homicide charges related to the rushed approval process and for carrying out the vaccination in “undue haste”.  

It is meaningless having a 100% effective vaccine today but later report serious side effects, including deaths. Unlike medicine, a vaccine is injected into healthy people, including children, so the safety threshold is very high. Unlike medicine or a drug, a vaccine tends to stay in our body for a long time, even forever. So the propensity for an untested and unverified vaccine to cause harm is great.

Even the 95% efficacy claimed by US-based mRNA vaccine producers Pfizer and Moderna has been challenged by Peter Doshi, associate editor of the highly respected British Medical Journal in a January 4 article. 

With due respect to the US government or tacit approval from WHO, vaccine producers must provide all clinical trials data for vetting by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) to check against all adverse and unexpected side effects, in an approval process that is not rushed or compromised by political pressure.

There are two processes in developing or producing a vaccine:

• research and development, as well as production of the untested “rough cut” vaccine, which can take place rapidly; and,
• pre-clinical trials on animals first, followed by human clinical trials, which must also not be rushed. A minimum of three to five years is needed to respond. The human clinical trials for Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines were rushed in eight months: Phase 3 human clinical trials were conducted in only two months and quickly approved by the US Federal Drug Authority under “Emergency Authorisation”.

Malaysia appears to be the only tropical developing country to order the Pfizer mRNA vaccine at 25 million doses for 12.5 million people – 40% of the population.

US health officials and experts, who are aggressively promoting their mRNA vaccines, are the same people who dismissed mask-wearing last year, resulting in huge and uncontrolled infections and deaths. Despite a full-blown pandemic, these people still refused to change their illogical, unscientific and self-contradictory policy of “no necessity to wear masks in public places”, until much later and only after many more infections and deaths.

On January 7, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) admitted it was carefully monitoring allergic reactions to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, urging individuals with serious reactions not to get their second dose. The vaccines had resulted in allergic reactions nine times worse than flu vaccines.

High-profile cases of deaths and serious side effects after taking the Pfizer mRNA vaccine are as follows: 

• healthy Mexican female doctor, 32, hospitalised (in intensive care), January 3.
• healthy US doctor, 56, died on January 3.
• healthy Portuguese nurse, 41, died on January 4. 
• a total of 29 nursing home residents in Norway have died so far.
• some 12,000 people in Israel tested positive for Covid-19.

Still Pfizer insisted or demanded governments worldwide to give social immunity against legal suits for adverse and serious side effects – including deaths – when their top managers are unwilling to take their own vaccine. We may oppose the mRNA vaccine until our questions are answered transparently but we remain constructive in our scrutiny.

We urge the government to look at safer, more effective and cheaper alternatives, home remedies and practices like:

• the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine and China’s Sinovac vaccine, CoronaVac.
• Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic and anti-viral wonder tablet, proven to be very safe, as reflected by the health ministers’s testimony that Ivermectin is “cheap, easily available and safe for us.”
• The anti-viral nasal spray developed by Canadian firm Sanotize, tested and approved by Health Canada. Found to be effective and safe in preventing and treating Covid-19.
• Increase intake of (anti-Covid-19) Vitamin C with Zinc, Vitamin D, minerals and trace elements to boost body immunity.
• Various reliable or proven herbal or natural products to improve our body immunity.
• Have enough exercise, sleep or rest and live a more hygienic and healthier lifestyle.
• Other tried and tested safe drugs, measures and remedies.

Until the pandemic is over, we must continue to adhere to control measures such as social distancing, wearing a mask in crowded places and frequent hand-washing. – January 27, 2021.

* Muslim Consumer Organisation Malaysia, National Patriots’ Association, Asian Heritage Museum Group are local pressure groups.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.