JAKARTA. Bio Farma president director Iskandar said there was no evidence that any vaccine produced by the state-owned pharmaceutical company had been counterfeited.

“Bio Farma has coordinated with the Health Ministry, the Drug and Food Monitoring Agency [BPOM], the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency [Bareskrim] and official vaccine distributors. Based on physical examinations of the packing and results of laboratory tests, Bio Farma vaccines suspected of having been counterfeited are genuine, not counterfeit,” said Iskandar on Thursday.

He made the statement in response to reports of the widespread circulation of fake vaccines nationwide.

Iskandar admitted, however, that several other Bio Farma products had been counterfeited. These included serums and diagnostic tools such as Biosat (anti-tetanus serum), Biosave (anti-snake venom) and Tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), an extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB in humans.

“Bio Farma vaccines have not been counterfeited. They are genuine and none of them have been counterfeited. What have been counterfeited are serums,” said Iskandar.

Bio Farma marketing director Mahendra Suhardono said vaccines that had been counterfeited were mostly imported vaccines, which were expensive.

Bio Farma-manufactured serum products were much more expensive than vaccines, he further said.

“Serums are priced at above Rp 100,000 [US$7.60], far more expensive than vaccines,” said Mahendra.

Bio Farma vaccines are sold to the government and distributors at different prices. They include BCG, TT, DT, Td, DTP-HB-Hib, bOPV, Hepatitis B (for babies) and measles vaccines. Bio Farma sells them in packages starting from one to 20 doses.

The vaccines’ selling prices for the government, which are listed on the e-catalogue and include value added tax (PPN), vary starting from Rp 20,900 per dose for Hepatitis B vaccines for babies to Rp 59,950  for BCG vaccines in a package of 20 doses. These two types of vaccines are sold to distributors at different prices. The Hepatitis B vaccine is sold at Rp 47,700 per dose while the BCG vaccine in a package of 20 doses is priced at Rp 112, 500.

Iskandar said that among the measures the government could take to prevent fake vaccines was the proper management of vaccine waste or used ampoules, including expired vaccines.

Every health care facility and immunization center both public and private should have a proper vaccine waste management procedure and facility, he went on. (Arya Dipa)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie