Airlangga University with Indonesian Army and Indonesian State Intelligence Agency boasts Covid-19 cure that passes clinical trials, but it raises many questions

Last updated on May 17th, 2021 at 11:43 am

The Covid-19 cure made by Airlangga University, the Indonesian Army, and Indonesian State Intelligence Agency (BIN) has passed phase III clinical trials.

According to BIN, the drug was tested on Covid-19 positive patients in the Army Officer Candidate School (Secapa) cluster and the results were 85 percent cured.

Deputy VII of the State Intelligence Agency, Wawan Hari Purwanto, said that apart from curing 85 percent of Covid-19 patients in Secapa, the medicine was also used at the BIN clinic and proven to cure corona patients.

According to Wawan, the healing process of this drug depends on the patient’s immunity. Patients who have been tested using this medicine can recover in about 1-3 days.

However, the findings of the Covid-19 cure by Airlangga University, BIN, and the Indonesian Army has raised many questions.

University of Indonesia epidemiologist, Pandu Riono, doubts the validity of Universitas Airlangga’s research related to the Covid-19 drug combination.

“Because it has not been tested in clinical trial research that meets standard requirements,” Pandu said as quoted by Tempo, Monday, August 17.

Pandu explained that there are clinical trial requirements for drugs that comply with internationally established standards, and must be registered with the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical trials. However, he checked that the Covid-19 combination medicine made by Airlangga University and BIN had not registered the WHO clinical trial.

If the medicine does not meet these requirements, Pandu said that the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) can refuse the application for a distribution permit and the production of a Covid-19 drug combination.

Same things have said by Epidemiologist from Australia’s Griffith University, Dicky Budiman about the findings of the Airlangga University Covid-19 cure.

According to Dicky, the drug findings must be subject to clinical trials by the WHO so that they can be produced and distributed to the public. Therefore, the process to ensure that Airlangga University’s drugs are feasible and effective for corona patients is quite long.

“This is a pandemic and we are part of WHO. That’s why WHO is holding global clinical trial solidarity for Covid-19 drug research,” said Dicky when confirmed, Tuesday, August 18.

Airlangga University Chancellor M. Nasih said that he had applied the standards of the BPOM when clinical testing of the Covid-19 drug combination.

“Clinical trials are in accordance with clinical trial protocols that have been approved by BPOM through PPUK (Approval for Clinical Trials),” said Nasih when contacted, Monday, August 17.

Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Slamet Budiarto asked all parties to wait for the decision of the BPOM regarding distribution permits and the production of a Covid-19 drug combination developed by Airlangga University. “The referee is the POM,” Slamet said as quoted by Tempo, Monday.

On the other hand, Member of Commission IX of the People’s Representative Council, Saleh Partaonan Daulay, appreciated the success of Airlangga University Surabaya in preparing medicines for Covid-19. Hopefully, these findings can contribute to restoring people exposed to the Covid-19 virus.

“We have to convey our respectful greetings to Airlangga University, especially to its researchers. Hopefully, this discovery can end the concerns of many parties about the dangers of Covid-19, which is still spreading today, “Saleh told reporters, Tuesday, August 18.

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