Indonesian Pharmaceutical Industry Cries Foul over Potential New Dietary Law

Vaccine manufacturers routinely have to deal with the difficulty of meeting science-based regulations. Such manufacturers operating in Indonesia may soon have another, and far more difficult, set of regulations to meet: Muslim dietary law, known as halal.

UPI reports Indonesia's legislature is considering a measure that would require all pharmaceutical and biological products manufactured in the country to comply with Muslim dietary law, which includes a prohibition on all pork-derived products. The country has already had to import many vaccines as a result of the ban, including meningitis vaccines, as domestically manufactured ones could not be certified as halal.

The law could ultimately require the import of many more vaccine and drug products, and some industry representatives are calling the measure a death knell for the industry. "We will die if this regulation comes into force," the head of Indonesian vaccine manufacturer Bio Farma was quoted as saying by UPI.

The Jakarta Globe reports the industry has requested to be exempt from the requirements of the law, saying the cost of compliance-estimated at $156 million-could "destroy the pharmaceutical industry."

According to a 2000 census, Indonesia is 86.1% Muslim, with the next most prominent group (Protestants) only representing 5.7% of the population.

Read more:

UPI - Vaccine maker slams Indonesia halal bill

The Jakarta Globe - Halal Law 'Will Destroy' Indonesia's Pharmaceutical Industry: Bio Farma