Members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have decided to form a special working group to create halal vaccines and medicines.

Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) head Penny Lukito highlighted the importance of the working group as Muslim-majority countries shared the same understanding on halal standards.

“We have to establish [the working group] now, because researching halal vaccines will require six years or more. The process will include clinical trials and other phases,” Penny told the media after the National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRA) meeting in Jakarta on Thursday.