ID :
378415
Wed, 08/26/2015 - 20:40
Auther :

National vaccine forum to focus on downstream research

Bandung, W.Java, Aug 26 (Antara) - The National Vaccine Research Forum (FRVN) will focus on downstream life science research so that vaccine production can be used by the community and improve public health. "I support the efforts of this forum to encourage downstream life science research for community welfare," the Minister of Health, Nila Djuwita F Moeloek, said on Wednesday. The minister said research cooperation and synergy between industry, government, experts and other stakeholders should be integrated so that the results can be beneficial for the community. Vaccine producer Bio Farma's Director, Iskandar, said the forum encourages life science products to respond to market needs, both nationally and abroad. "Research conducted on five diseases, namely tuberculosis, hepatitis B, dengue, EPO dab and influenza is no longer basic research, but leads to downstream," Iskandar stated. FRVN, which was established in 2011, is composed of researchers from universities, the government and the industry. "The synergy between these researchers has accelerated the discovery of new vaccines, which would have otherwise taken 15 to 20 years," Iskandar pointed out. However, he said, the products produced by the forum still had to undergo clinical trials. Iskandar said in addition to research on tuberculosis, hepatitis B, dengue and influenza EPO, seven other working groups had examined the human papilloma virus (HPV), stem cell, pnemococus, pnemonimia, malaria, HIV, and related policy issues. Currently, research cooperation was being conducted by Bio Farma in collaboration with 75 universities across Indonesia and a number of hospitals. "The collective research has resulted in some outcomes, which could be converted into a product. Hopefully, in four to five years a new vaccine can be discovered and produced," he said.

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