PETALING JAYA, Dec 11 (Sin Chew Daily) — The Ministry of Health is still conducting interim analysis on the Covid-19 vaccine developed by China’s Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products, says its director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Those who completed the vaccination in the clinical trials of vaccine developed by Kangtai would be awarded a special digital vaccination certificate if the vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, he said.

Dr Nor Hisham replied to Sin Chew Daily in WhatsApp when asked about the status of the volunteers who took part in the phase three clinical trials of the vaccine developed by Kangtai.

He said this in response to queries on volunteers participating in the clinic trials but yet to receive digital certification for the vaccine.

He said volunteers who received placebo in the vaccine trials would not be qualified to receive the special digital vaccination certificate.

About 3,000 volunteers participated in the clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccine developed by China’s Kangtai last year.

Dr Nor Hisham said the Disease Control Division under the health ministry would be working with researchers in the study team to verify the status of volunteers who received Covid-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Health would arrange for volunteers who received placebo in the clinical trials to be vaccinated.

However, the vaccination status of these volunteers was not included in the MySejahtera app and they did not receive digital vaccination certificates.

Despite having letters issued by medical centers participating in the clinic trials and medical reports, the volunteers encountered difficulties entering premises without having digital vaccination certificates on their MySejahtera apps.

Yong Tai Group chief executive officer Datuk Wira Boo Kuang Loon said the company had been following up with various departments under the Ministry of Health but did not receive any reply whether the volunteers who completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccination developed by Kangtai would be receiving digital vaccination certifications.

YTB Healthcare Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Yong Tai Group, received approval granted by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) for the clinical trial import licence.

Yong Tai Bhd said its healthcare unit is set to undertake the Covid-19 vaccine phase three clinical trial in Malaysia after the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) granted its approval for the clinical trial import licence.