KUALA LUMPUR: AstraZeneca (AZ) and Sinovac have submitted dossiers of data to the Health Ministry for the use of the respective vaccines as boosters.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Health Ministry was now in the process of reviewing the data.
"The next meeting of the Drug Control Authority is on Nov 17 so we need time to review the data," he said in a press conference today.
He was responding to questions on real world data studies conducted in Chile and Turkey that found that a third dose of AZ or Pfizer was 90 per cent effective for those who formally received Sinovac.
He said findings show heterologous vaccine is better than homologous vaccine.
"This is based on data from Thailand, Chile and Turkey, where the study is for Sinovac-Sinovac-Pfizer vaccines. We are looking at one-year data,"he said today.
However, he said a pilot study on mix and match as well as homologous vaccine efficacy would be carried out by the ministry.
Meanwhile, Institute for Clinical Research director Dr Kalaiarasu Peariasamy said that while the regulatory approval was for Pfizer, it was by no means a comparison with AZ's ability as a booster.
"For those who have been given the Sinovac vaccine, Pfizer is recommended by default because that is a priority and the data from the studies in Thailand show the same. So, we will go with Pfizer, unless there is a medical contraindication; then AZ or Sinovac will be considered by the physician in charge as a booster."
Dr Kalairasu said this was similar to what took place during the vaccination exercise where those who could not take the Pfizer vaccine subsequent to an allergic reaction were given Sinovac.
He said, in terms of the mixing of other platforms, the general recommendation was for homologous first and later with NPRA's approval, they would intensify the mix and match.
"There is now enough evidence for the same for boosting with the same (platform) first."
Earlier, Dr Kalaiarasu presented the findings from studies done in Chile involving those who completed their two doses of Covid-19 Sinovac vaccines.
After 14 days of receiving the Sinovac booster shot, the effectiveness against Covid-19 increased to 80 per cent from 56 per cent.
However, for those who were given Pfizer and AstraZeneca booster vaccines, the effectiveness improved to 90 per cent and 93 per cent respectively.
In terms of effectiveness against hospitalisation, those who received Sinovac as booster shot improved its efficacy to 88 per cent from 84 per cent.
Those who received Pfizer and AstraZeneca booster shots, the effectiveness improved to 87 per cent and 96 per cent respectively.