Fake meningitis vaccine not in M'sian market — ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry yesterday confirmed that a fake meningitis vaccine detected by Niger health authorities is not in the Malaysian market.

Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said an examination of the Vaccine Lot Release showed that the Mencevax ACWY vaccine with the group number which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned about has never been imported into Malaysia.

“The last time that Malaysia imported the Mencevax ACWY vaccine was in July 2017. However, the registration status expired on May 31, 2018, and the vaccine is no longer registered with the Drug Control Authority (DCA),” he said in a statement.

The WHO issued the warning on the discovery of the fake Mencevax ACWY vaccine in Niger on March 28.

Dr Noor Hisham said that beginning Jan 1, 2015, the DCA had made it a requirement for the Vaccine Lot Release before imported vaccines are marketed to ensure that they are of quality, safe and effective.

Lot release is the process of evaluating each individual lot of a licensed product before giving approval for its release into the market.

He said the ministry took a serious view of fake vaccines and conducted examinations from time to time to ensure no fake vaccines are released into the market.

Dr Noor Hisham, who is the chairman of the DCA, reminded private hospitals and clinics to buy their vaccine stocks only from licensed suppliers and not to be cheated with the offer of vaccines at low prices.

“The public can contact the NPRA (National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency) at 03-7883 5400 if they come across any dubious vaccine,” he said.