The Challenges in Implementation of Halal Vaccine Certification in Malaysia

Abstract

The global halal pharmaceutical sector is valued at USD 132 billion by 2021. (Pharmaceuticals, 2020). This sector is seen as a high priority development area. Apart from food products, Muslim consumers are also becoming more aware of halal pharmaceuticals. They are beginning to see the potential detrimental effects created by product development, testing, and production, all of which could be deviating from the halal values. Based on this uncertainty, the public at large is increasingly questioning the sources of their pharmaceutical products. Under such circumstances, the situation of children contracting contagious diseases has been noted to be on the rise in Malaysia, especially in the last few years. As a result, health authorities are concerned that there would be parents who may reject the immunization programs for their children out of the fear that the vaccines used may infringe on some strict religious rules. (Johari Ab Latiff, 2018) A conservative Muslim may sometimes reject the inoculation over concerns that some vaccines were derived from contents of pigs or porcine, of which Muslims are forbidden to consume. Vaccines are part of the pharmaceutical products, and like all other pharmaceutical products, they can be developed using halal ingredients, which can replace the use of non halal contents or animal products and their derivatives for medication. The implementation of halal certification for vaccines is strictly bounded by Shariah law and Fatwa. Malaysia. As a Muslim country, Malaysia is widely and globally regarded as one of the pioneers in halal pharmaceuticals. This can be traced to its world first halal pharmaceutical standard which was introduced as MS 2424: Halal Pharmaceuticals – General Guidelines since 2012, with first revision in 2019. Nonetheless, from then until presently, Malaysia has not been able to provide halal certification for the vaccine products. The implementation of the halal certification for vaccine products in Malaysia may have been triggered by the use of non-halal or forbidden ingredients in the manufacturing of those vaccine products. Thus far, the Malaysian Standard of the MS 2424 is the only standard, and it is also only a general guide. There is a need to develop a more thorough manual that can be adhered to by pharmaceuticals. This necessity to certify vaccine products as halal for the context of Malaysia has thus put the Halal Certification Body, like JAKIM, to be in limbo

Willingness to Pay (WTP) for COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose and Its Determinants in Indonesia

“…Many individuals were still skeptical about vaccines with the fear that such vaccines may contain substances prohibited in Islam. Substances used in vaccine manufacturing may be of animal origin, including swine or derivatives, dead animals, or blood, all of which are haram or forbidden for Muslims [ 77 , 78 ]. In Muslim-populated countries, halal certification administrators award the halal certificate to applicants based on the Holy Quran.…”

Industri Farmasi dalam Kajian Produk Halal: Pendekatan Systematic Literature Review

“…Pengolahan formulasi obat rumit dan sulit dipastikan secara akurat asal usul beberapa bahan yang digunakan dalam sediaan obat (Alzeer & Hadeed, 2020). Diperlukan pengetahuan yang lebih mendalam tentang produk, bahan dan sumbernya perlu dikaji (Latiff et al, 2021). Diketahui, industri farmasi dalam skala besar memerlukan fasilitas khusus yang digunakan untuk menghasilkan suatu produk agar dapat tersertifikasi halal.…”

“…Proses dalam memproduksi obat halal juga memerlukan keahlian teknis yang mencakup kepribadian dan pengetahuan yang berkualitas dan terlatih (Latiff et al, 2021). Akademisi Muslim, layanan kesehatan dan profesional lainnya harus menghasilkan referensi 'halal' mengenai obat-obatan tertentu yang dapat diakses oleh masyarakat.…”

Gelatin in Halal Pharmaceutical Products

“…In specific, based on Malaysian Standard of Halal Pharmaceuticals-General Requirements (MS 2424:2019), halal pharmaceuticals were defined as pharmaceutical products that contain ingredients permitted under the Shariah law and fatwa which: a) Do not contain any parts or products of animals that are non-halal or any parts or products of animals which are not slaughtered according to Shariah law and fatwa; b) Do not contain najs according to Shariah law and fatwa; c) Safe and efficacious for human use according to prescribed dosage, of quality and hygiene; d) Not prepared, processed or manufactured using equipment contaminated with najs according to Shariah law and fatwa; e) Do not contain any human parts or its derivatives that are not permitted by Shariah law and fatwa; f) During the preparation, processing, handling, packaging, storage and distribution, the halal pharmaceutical products are physically segregated from any other pharmaceutical products that do not meet the requirements stated in items a), b), c), d), e) or any other items that have been decreed as non-halal and najs by Shariah law and fatwa (Department of Standards Malaysia, 2019; Johari et al, 2021).…”