Dr Chin: Over 500 individuals registered to be volunteers for Covid-19 vaccine clinical trial

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Dr Chin Zing Hing – File photo

KUCHING (Jan 18): More than 500 individuals have registered their interest to be volunteers to take part in the Covid-10 vaccine clinical trial, said state health director Dr Chin Zing Hing.

However, Dr Chin stressed that not everyone who registered for the clinical trial will be selected.

“So far, the response is good. It has been very encouraging,” he said when contacted on public response to the Sarawak Health Department’s invitation on Jan 6 for 400 volunteers to take part in the Covid-19 vaccine trial which was expected to start in early to mid-January 2021.

Dr Chin had earlier stressed that the Covid-19 vaccine trial is part of a national effort to eradicate Covid-19.

Dr Chin said although it was earlier announced that the clinical trial was expected to start in early to mid-January 2021, the trial proper may commence at end of this month.

“At present, it appears to be on schedule to commence at the end of January, but this situation remains very fluid, in view of the current pandemic situation here in Malaysia, and all around the world,” he explained.

“Despite the encouraging public response, there is still a formal process of inviting the potential participants in, for them to discuss further details of the clinical trial and for us to address any of their concerns before they formally consent to participate as a clinical trial subject,” he said.

Dr Chin said the public will know the results of the trial when the results are announced by the sponsor, Institute of Molecular Biology of China Academy of Medical Sciences (IMBCAMS) or when published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal

“The official trial results typically is first published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It may then be subsequently reported in mainstream press or news channels,” he pointed out.

Malaysia is one of the countries selected by the IMBCAMS to collaborate with them in the field of medical science during this pandemic, and allocated 3,000 subjects for this clinical trial.

Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) was chosen as one of the nine centers in the country to conduct the trial because it is well known for its clinical service, training of healthcare professionals and also as a site for world class clinical trials apart from having a dedicated clinical research centre (CRC), he said.