Coronavirus | Russia to test its COVID-19 vaccine with more than 40,000 people

Russia announced this Thursday the beginning in the next week of clinical trials with more than 40,000 people from its COVID-19 vaccine, announced on August 11 and viewed with skepticism by the international community.

“Next week (…), a clinical study on the efficacy (…) and safety of the vaccine Sputnik V will start in Russia“, indicated the Russian sovereign fund, associated in its development, specifying that” more than 40,000 people will participate in the study in more than 45 medical centers. ”

The official website dedicated to the vaccine, for its part, had announced that “phase 3 of the clinical trials, with more than 2 000 people“in several countries it had started on August 12.

Questioned by the AFP Regarding these tests, the press service of the sovereign wealth fund noted: “there is no phase 3 in Russian law.” “From a legal point of view, these are studies carried out after the vaccine was registered “on August 11he explained, adding that they can be considered an “equivalent to phase 3”.

The director of the sovereign fund, Kirill DmitrievHe pointed out this Thursday during an online information session that the vaccination of “risk groups”, which includes health personnel, will also begin next week on a voluntary basis.

More than 20 countries have placed purchase orders for 1 billion doses of the vaccine, he added. He also said that Russia has agreed to produce the vaccine in five countries.

Dmitriev also indicated that the beginning of “mass vaccinations in Russia in October “, while vaccine deliveries abroad are scheduled to begin in November or December. A delegation from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health is expected in Moscow next week, he added.

Sputnik V, the name that refers to the first artificial satellite in history, is viewed with skepticism in most of the world, especially due to the lack of a final phase of tests at the time of being announced.

“We have seen a significant change in the tone that the WHO (World Health Organization). In the beginning, in fact, they did not have enough information about the Russian vaccine, now official information has been sent to him and he will evaluate it, “Dmitriev continued.

“We see no obstacle to individual regulators approving the vaccine without the WHO having done so,” he added.

AFP

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