TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, said that the clinical trial for the tuberculosis (TB) vaccine developed with support from billionaire Bill Gates will take two years to complete. BPOM has officially approved the clinical trial of the M72 TB vaccine in Indonesia.
“According to the calculation, it will take (clinical trials) about 24 months and this has already begun,” said Taruna at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
Taruna said that around 2,000 people in Indonesia will be involved in the clinical trial. The results, he added, will only be available after the two-year trial period.
He noted that the trial in Indonesia must also be aligned with similar studies taking place abroad. According to him, another 18,000 people in other countries are also participating in the M72 vaccine trials.
BPOM, Taruna assured, will closely monitor the entire process in Indonesia, including the selection of volunteers to ensure safety. “Not only when granting clinical trial approval,” said Taruna.
He emphasized that Indonesians must not be treated merely as test subjects. “It must be ensured to be safe for them and we at BPOM will carry out that task,” he said.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin also addressed the government's decision to approve the trial of the Gates-funded TB vaccine. He cited several reasons, including the fact that Indonesia ranks second in the world for the number of TB cases, with 1.06 million patients—trailing only India.
Budi explained that the trial will help determine the vaccine’s compatibility with Indonesia’s population, as vaccine effectiveness can depend on genetic factors. He also noted that the trial gives Indonesia an opportunity to access vaccine-related technology, with involvement from scientists at Padjadjaran University and the University of Indonesia.
He added that if successful, Indonesia could eventually serve as a manufacturing site for the vaccine.
“That’s why we lobbied to ensure Indonesia becomes part of the clinical trial,” Budi said during a meeting with the Health Commission of the House of Representatives in Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Rusman Paraqbueq contributed to the writing of this article.
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