On Tuesday, August 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had won the race in finding a coronavirus vaccine. He said that even his daughter had been inoculated with the drug.
Authorities in Russia have approved the said vaccine and have already started mass-producing it. They named their coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V after their iconic satellite. The vaccine is created by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies during the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S.
Russia is planning to give the vaccine first to its frontline public-service workers, including medics and teachers, before releasing it to the general public. According to Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, medics could have access to the vaccine as early as late August or early September.
"I know that it works quite effectively, forms strong immunity, and, I repeat, it has passed all the needed checks," Putin said on Tuesday.
However, many experts have expressed their concerns about the Russian vaccine. Sputnik V has not undergone the Phase-3 trials, an essential part of vaccine development to guarantee a vaccine's safety.
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Fauci Has Questioned the Safety of Russia's Coronavirus Vaccine
US top infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci is one of those experts who have shared concerns about the fast-track process taken by Russia and China in winning the race to produce the coronavirus vaccine.
Fauci said in a testimony to a congressional committee on July 31 that he hopes Russia and China are actually testing the vaccine before administering it to anyone.
"Because claims of having a vaccine ready to distribute before you do testing are, I think, problematic at best," he said.
Fauci added that he is confident that the US will be able to come up with its own vaccine by the end of the year without cutting corners, ensuring the vaccine's safety.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, countries have been prompted to be the first to develop a vaccine, with geopolitical influence and prestige is at stake and the lives of thousands of people.
Sputnik V is being treated with caution as the vaccine developer has yet to release the full information on the drug.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in a UN briefing in Geneva on Tuesday that they are now in close contact with the Russian health authorities and discussing the possibility for WHO prequalification which includes rigorous review and assessment of all required safety and efficacy data.
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Did Russia Approve Coronavirus Vaccine Before Completing the Tests?
Although having the first coronavirus seems to be good news, experts around the world expressed their concerns that Russia is trying to snatch victory by cutting corners of vaccine development.
According to experts, skipping large-scale clinical trials has made Russia win the race but raised concerns that it is circumventing necessary steps and potentially endangering people.
Just last week, Russia was cautioned by WHO to not stray from the usual methods of testing a vaccine for safety and efficacy. Russia was also accused by the United States, Canada, and the UK for trying to steal their vaccine research but it was denied by Russian officials saying that their vaccine is based on a design developed years ago by their doctors for Ebola virus.
Gamaleya institute has yet to conduct the Phase 3 trials, a critical phase, and the only way to know with statistical certainty that the vaccine is useful and how effective it is, as well as its safety.
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