Fighting the India and China Pharmacy Dominance
Spirit of vaccine production Self-Reliance which is surging on Bio Farma can not be separated from the threat of competitors. Accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO) does not necessarily make Bio Farma satisfied. Indonesia through Bio Farma desires to master the fundamental technology in producing vaccines. Director of Planning and Development of Bio Farma, Drh. Sugeng Suharso MM acknowledge, the challenge of vaccine exports in the next few years is more and more stringent. It requires innovation in launching the new vaccines product through the Directorate of Research and Development. "China and India is the potential competitors. They have won the pre-qualification from WHO and ready to provide the vaccine at a low price ", he said on the 4th National Vaccine Research Forum (FRVN) in Grand Hyatt, Jakarta, Tuesday (19/8). The president director Bio Farma Drs. Iskandar, Apt., MM. acknowledged, the Indonesian pharmaceutical industry has been in a comfort zone, since it is always supplied by the said two countries. However, he continued, long-term effects even imprison the practicioner of the drug industry. Since, they always import the raw material. The said inhibiting factor that is trying to be driven by Bio Farma. To face it, this state-owned enterprises dared to invest much for the vaccine research activities, Iskandar realizes that, although it took 10-20 years in generating a new vaccine, but the road to Self-Reliance in the pharmaceutical industry began to open with a consortium of vaccine researchers. Bio Farma actually take steps to learn the technology of platform through the conjunction and recombinant techniques. Mastery of research on these two techniques are believed to be the production key of commercial drug and vaccine. As a result, the vaccine which is currently circulating in the community has had security by using international quality standards. So as to enhance the better immunity and able to survive in the longer term. "The product is not the most important thing, but the one that should be mastered is its technology. By doing so, we can seize the industry, although this time the process is still in prototype level, "said Iskandar. The synergy of ABG (Academic, Business, and Government) to speed up the production process also contributed to ita suporters.. The experts staff of the Ministry of Research and Technology Prof. Broto Kardono acknowledges that it is necessary the increase of mastery sector of pharmaceutical technology. "The last 10 years, the development of vaccines is progressing very rapidly. Bio Farma has done this innovation through the ABG synergy", Broto said. In the future, the future vaccine production process is expected to produce the vaccine which is safe, durable, reduced side effects, appropriate antigens, safe adjuvants, have an active protein, and using the recombinant DNA. (Source: Republika, August 20, 2014)