Indonesia’s BPJH grants Halal Certification for the COVID-19 Vaccines: Sinovac, Zifivax, Merah Putih Vaccine, and Indovac
Highlights: In July 2021, the World Health Organization confirmed on social media that Covid-19 vaccines such as Moderna, Pfizer, Jansen, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm are halal, as they do not contain animal products. However, halal certification requires more than just checking the final ingredients, as it can involve earlier stages of the manufacturing process. Therefore, halal certification must be granted by BPJPH. Sinovac was the first Covid-19 vaccine to be halal-certified by BPJH in April 2021, followed by Zifivax, Merah Putih Vaccine, and Indovac. However, AstraZeneca’s vaccine was declared “haram” in Indonesia due to the presence of pork-derived trypsin, and the halal status of Moderna and Pfizer’s vaccines could not be confirmed due to insufficient ingredient data. Nonetheless, the Indonesian government and religious groups permit the temporary use of these vaccines as they benefit public health interests.
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