Viral vaccine consent form not the final version, says Dr Noor Hisham

KUALA LUMPUR (NSTP): A Covid-19 vaccination consent form which leaked online yesterday is not the final version to be used for the country’s inoculation programme, said the Health Ministry.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the consent form for the vaccination would be distributed to prospective vaccine recipients soon.

“Therefore, the public is reminded not to spread inaccurate information which can cause worry among the people,” he said in a statement today.

An online news portal had reported that a version of the form was uploaded to the Penang Health Department website yesterday.

Apart from a section for medical history, the form also included a clause which stated that signatories understood that they were responsible for any possible risks.

The page on the Penang Health Department had been removed.

Dr Noor Hisham said the vaccination was to provide protection against Covid-19 infection, as well as reduce risk of a person contracting the disease.

“As the vaccination is voluntary, the consent form is a document given to vaccine recipients for them to express their voluntary vaccine opt-in.

“Consent forms are also used in other countries which have implemented their Covid-19 immunisation programme,” he said.

He added that the contents of the form were to ensure that the recipient fully understood what the healthcare worker had read out or explained on the benefits and risks of the vaccine.

All vaccines that would be used in Malaysia would be first evaluated in terms of quality, efficacy and safety by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, he said.

“Based on reports from other countries that have conducted their immunisation programme, the vaccines are safe to use.”

The first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is expected to arrive on Feb 21, with the rollout for the inoculation to start on Feb 26.

There are three phases under the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme. The first phase involves frontliners, from Feb 26 to April this year. The second phase will run from April to October, involving high-risk groups; and the third phase, involving adults aged 18 and above, will take place from May 2021 to February 2022.- SOURCE:NSTP

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