Three more vaccines get conditional approvals

The health ministry has given conditional approval for three more Covid-19 vaccines, including from Sinovac and Pfizer.

The three vaccines are Covid-19 AstraZeneca solution for injection, manufactured by MedImmune Pharma BV Netherland; CoronaVac suspension for injection by Sinovac Life Sciences Co Ltd; and Comirnaty concentrate for dispersion for injection by Pfizer.

In a statement, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the conditional approval meant that the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) will review the data by these companies.

“This is to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines are updated constantly as well as the benefits over the risks of these vaccines remain positive.”

The NPRA, he added, was still reviewing two vaccines, namely the Gam-COVID-Vac or Sputnik V, manufactured by Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and CoronaVac suspension for injection, by Sinovac.

Putrajaya had also signed agreements with other vaccine manufacturers namely AstraZeneca from the UK and the single dose vaccine CanSinoBIO, from China.