SHAH ALAM, Sept 13 — The raw data analysis issued by the Health Ministry regarding the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines, including the deaths of fully-vaccinated individuals, on the GitHub website needs to use standard scientific framework and methodology and be assessed by experts.
Pharmaniaga Bhd (Pharmaniaga) group managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope said it would ensure all the findings of the analysis were accurate and avoid speculation and the risk of biased conclusions that could negatively impact the national vaccination programme.
He said that an online news portal had recently published an unverified analysis claiming that there were 10.11 deaths for every 100,000 Sinovac vaccine recipients, 3.47 deaths for every 100,000 Pfizer vaccine recipients and 0.91 deaths for every 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccine recipients.
He said the raw data published should be accompanied with a complete explanation from the authorities.
"In the current crisis situation, data is very important to measure the effectiveness of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), but a wrong interpretation of data of a speculative nature will only complicate matters and cause confusion among the public,” he said in a statement today.
Zulkarnain said the study of clinical data was greatly influenced by situational and time factors that required the use of complex statistical methods to ensure an accurate analysis.
”Just like the collection of data requires scientific standard methods, the analysis of data requires proper scientific standard methods as well.
"The analysis published by the news portal clearly does not present a clear picture of the data and was not assessed by academic experts such as scientists and researchers, as it should have been done,” he said.
He therefore asked the authorities to immediately provide a complete explanation regarding the raw data published to dispel any doubts about the vaccines’ safety and effectiveness.
“If an explanation is not forthcoming, it will distract the government from its upcoming mission to implement the vaccination programme of teens aged 12 to 17. We believe the effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic requires the support and cooperation from everyone for the peace and prosperity of all Malaysians,” he said.
Pharmaniaga is the pharmaceutical business wing of Boustead Holding Bhd, and the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) is among Pharmaniaga’s major shareholders.
— Bernama
