KUCHING: The Sarawak Health Department has assured that the study protocol for the Covid-19 vaccine trial at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) has been approved by the Health Ministry’s Medical Research and Ethics Committee and will be conducted to world class standard.
“In such a trial, the subject would have a 50 percent chance of being injected with the vaccine and 50 percent chance of being injected with a placebo,” its director Dr Chin Zin Hing said today.
He disclosed that the vaccine in this particular clinical trial was developed by the Institute of Molecular Biology, China Academy of Medical Sciences (IMBCAMS).
Malaysia was one of the countries selected by IMBCAMS to collaborate with them in the field of medical science during this Covid-19 pandemic, allocating 3,000 subjects for this clinical trial.
“The specifics of this clinical trial will be discussed with the subjects selected and contacted individually to come to SGH,” he said.
He said subjects could only be formally enrolled into the clinical trial after discussion and upon the individual’s consent to participate.
“SGH was one of only nine centres MoH selected to conduct this international, multicentre clinical trial.
“Clinical trials are an essential and fundamental process in development of new medical treatments, including Covid-19 vaccines,” said Dr Chin.
He added that SGH was well-known for its clinical service, training of healthcare professionals and as a site for world class clinical trials. The hospital also has a dedicated clinical research centre (CRC).
More information on this Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial can be found at: https://www.nmrr.gov.my/fwbPage.jsp?fwbPageId=PublicDirectoryOfMedicalResearchForm&fwbAction=View&pager.offset=0&pk.uuid=713ae7896878f6d7b21073a95d7908e5&uk.uuid=713ae7896878f6d7b21073a95d7908e5
Aside from SGH, hospitals in Selangor, Kedah, Perak and Pulau Pinang were selected to conduct the trial.
On Wednesday (Jan 6), it was reported that the state Health Department was seeking 400 volunteers to participate in the clinical trial which is expected to commence in early to mid-January this year, with participants required to attend a total of six visits to SGH to complete the trial.
Dr Chin said healthy individuals interested in participating could Whatsapp the department at 012-3108108.
