IPOH: Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaludin is in talks with the Indian High Commission to purchase the Novavax vaccine.
"I have met the Indian High Commissioner to talk about this matter. We not only discussed this matter with their government but also several India companies such as the Serum Institute (of India).
"For instance, I am negotiating with the Serum Institute to buy Novavax vaccine. It is proven in their clinical data that this vaccine's protein recombinant works effectively.
"Of course, we are talking to India and we are talking to everybody else also," he told reporters after visiting the vaccination centre (PPV) at the Indera Mulia Stadium here, today.
Khairy added that however, there are several conditions set by India on the vaccine purchasing procedure.
"But we are talking to India about Novavax vaccine and India wants to sell us the vaccine from Bharat Biotech.
"This is the India homegrown vaccine but the problem is, they have yet to conduct phase three of clinical trials.
"It is hard for us to purchase because we don't have the clinical data, even though the country has used the vaccine in their immunisation programme," he said.
Whether India has offered Malaysia free vaccines, Khairy said the country did not qualify as Malaysia is categorised as an upper middle income country.
"A lot of countries get free vaccines from China, India, Russia because they are considered low income countries.
"We don't get any assistance as we are categorised upper middle income country. We don't get discounts, we don't get it for free, we need to buy ourselves." he said.