[ad_1]
“We know where the dog was buried here,” said Kirill Dmitriev, director general of the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which supported the development of Sputnik V and was trying to negotiate its international expansion. “It is a combination of some misunderstandings, active prejudices and a great effort to harm the Russian vaccine.”
Like neighboring China, which is trying to reassure its vaccine-testing countries, Russia, which seeks to turn its so-called “scientific triumph” into geopolitical dividends, faces unexpected resistance.
President Vladimir Putin has been promoting Russian vaccines to other world leaders since Russia began identifying Sputnik V as the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine in August.
However, regulators in many countries are in no rush to grant approval for Sputnik V, although they welcome American and European vaccines that have finally completed extensive testing.
This situation echoes the Cold War space race caused by the Soviet Union in 1957. The world’s first satellite, Sputnik, was created in 2006. Although Moscow was the first to enter space, it was overtaken by the United States. that landed a man on the moon 12 years later.
Russian officials attribute Sputnik’s difficulties to prejudice. The Foreign Ministry recently described the vaccine race as the final stage in a long-running disinformation “war” against Russia.
Regulators, who have demanded more detailed data on the vaccine, say they are simply trying to ensure that Sputnik V, which Russia approved even before the third phase of testing, is actually as safe and effective as its sponsors claim.
Acceptance of the vaccine was slow. December 21 Neighboring Belarus became the first country outside of Russia to adopt Sputnik V, followed by Argentina two days later.
Argentina has already started vaccinating; In the first phase, about 300,000 people are expected to be vaccinated with the Russian vaccine. Belarus launched its vaccination program on the same day.
However, India, Brazil and other key markets will sign on to the Russian vaccination program this year only, following further investigation.
“Russia is using its vaccine program as a soft power diplomacy,” said John Moore, a vaccine researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. – It is an international race, so national pride is very significant. But everything will depend on whether the vaccines are effective and safe ”.
The Russian vaccine gained momentum in early December when AstraZeneca PLC agreed to test its vaccine in combination with one of two doses of Sputnik. Putin participated in a video conference and announced the signing of the agreement directly on national television.
The 68-year-old Russian leader on December 17. He said he would wait until the vaccine was approved for a group of people his age.
Putin’s comments puzzled Argentine officials, who planned to start vaccinating the elderly immediately. His spokesman later clarified that the president is already willing to get vaccinated, as the research has widened the age range for the safe use of Sputnik V.
Critics explain that Russia’s decision to approve the vaccine as soon as possible until its developers have released scientific data and conducted only limited testing has eroded trust. Western officials, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, described the move as premature and publicly questioned the security of Sputnik.
Russian officials call all these “attacks” unfair competition, although polls show that many Russian citizens are skeptical about the safety of local vaccines.
Although Dmitriev was optimistic in an interview with India TV in September, his expectations that regulators in other countries will take the vaccine with enthusiasm did not materialize.
“Absolutely sure”
“We are absolutely sure that it will receive immediate approval in many global markets starting in November,” he said, emphasizing that Sputnik was “better, much safer” than Western vaccines using different technologies.
Sputnik V uses a platform that is based on the adenovirus that causes the common cold and has been studied for decades in various vaccines, although its efficacy has yet to be proven.
AstroZeneca works in a similar way, while the vaccines developed by Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech are based on a new technology that uses genetic instructions in a nucleic acid molecule called mRNA to trick the body into producing a viral protein, triggering the immune response of the body.
Russian officials downplay the global pushback, saying they have already received orders to send 1.2 billion. and plans to produce another 500 million in various countries. other vaccine manufacturers may not be able to meet the expected demand.
“We are targeting regulators in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, where the political sentiment is more balanced,” Dmitryev said.
He added that several countries are expected to follow Argentina’s lead and back Sputnik V as soon as Russia tests in January and February. First in line – Venezuela.
“People need to understand that in 2021, and maybe even 2022, there will be a huge vaccine shortage in the world,” he said.
In India, hopes for a speedy approval of Sputnik V were dashed in October, when the government demanded more extensive testing than local partners suggested.
RDIF said it was preparing to apply for approval for emergency use in late January, but Indian partners said it was likely to receive it by 2021 in the second quarter.
Things were similar in Brazil, where Russia’s plan to start supplying in November had not been implemented.
The Anvisa regulator announced the receipt of a request for Sputnik V Phase III tests.
A month after the announcement of a production and distribution agreement with a Beijing company, K. Dmitrijev announced that RDIF would not sell Sputnik V in China, but would instead export millions of doses planned for production there (including Russia).
Although Russia’s rush may have damaged its credibility, it will still find markets for Sputnik V if it can “show that the vaccine works and is reliable,” said a former UK government health adviser, now a senior think tank. in Washington. Global Development Policy Analyst-based think tank Anthony McDonnell.
[ad_2]
