MALAYSIA has been chosen to participate in the third phase clinical trials of the Sinovac vaccine for children, Deputy Health Minister II Aaron Ago Dagang told the Dewan Rakyat today. 

“The clinical trial will start at the end of this month and will be carried out at 10 research locations, which includes eight facilities under the Health Ministry, Universiti Malaya and Universiti Teknologi Mara,” the Kanowit MP said.

He was responding to Wong Kah Woh’s (Ipoh Timur-PH) question on whether the minister has studied the suitability and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines for children aged 12 and under and whether it has obtained relevant information from the manufacturers. 

He said the trials are coordinated by Clinical Research Malaysia in collaboration with the Clinical Research Institute. 

China has approved two Covid-19 vaccines, namely Sinovac and Sinopharm, for emergency use in children aged between three and 17. 

Dagang said phases 1 and 2 of the clinical trials have shown the vaccine to be safe and effective in triggering immune response in children in the age group. 

Currently, Malaysia is administering the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to adolescents aged between 12 and 17. – October 26, 2021.