Even as COVID-19 cases surged worldwide, Russia is all set to register its first COVID-19 vaccine on August 12, according to reports. The country has been pushing extensively for virus vaccine for quite some time now.
The vaccine was developed by Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry and will be registered on 12 August, Deputy Health Minister Oleg Gridnev had said, according to a report.
Russia’s race to allow civilian use of a potential coronavirus vaccine before clinical trials are complete could put people at risk, according to a local association of multinational pharmaceutical companies.
However, Russia’s race to allow civilian use of a potential coronavirus vaccine before clinical trials are complete could put people at risk, according to a local association of multinational pharmaceutical companies.
The warning comes days after Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease specialist, questioned the fast-track approach of vaccine development by several countries last week
The COVID-19 vaccine has been developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry. In an earlier report, the final check-up of volunteers testing the coronavirus vaccine showed immunity in all participants, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Clinical trials of the vaccine began on June 18 and included 38 volunteers. All of the participants developed immunity. The first group was discharged on July 15 and the second group on July 20.
Moreover, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Centre, said that vaccine used inanimate particles created on the basis of adenovirus. He said there are no concerns that the vaccine could potentially cause harm to a person’s health.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation urged Russia to follow the established guidelines for producing safe and effective vaccines after Moscow announced plans to start swiftly producing COVID-19 vaccines. WHO said all vaccine candidates should go through full stages of testing before being rolled out.
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko had earlier said that members of “risk groups,” such as medical workers and even doctors and teachers may be offered the vaccine this month. Currently, the country is said to be initially planning serial production of the first domestic coronavirus vaccine by September, reports said.
Several thousands of vaccine doses per month are planned to be produced at the initial stage this year, whereas by the beginning of next year companies will increase output to several millions, the Russian minister informed.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease specialist, questioned the fast-track approach last week. “I do hope that the Chinese and the Russians are actually testing a vaccine before they are administering the vaccine to anyone, because claims of having a vaccine ready to distribute before you do testing I think is problematic at best,” he said.
