The mayor of Moscow invited residents on Wednesday to take part in a new trial against coronavirus vaccination, said to have been approved by the national government earlier this month.
The international medical community has expressed concern about Russia’s hasty approval of a vaccine without first being tested in large – scale advanced trials, involving tens of thousands of people. Scientists further point to the lack of shared data as a breach in standards for medical communities.
But Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has suggested some form of testing be carried out, saying the “post-registration investigation” has a duration of six months and involves 40,000 people.
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“We were all excited to see the creation of a vaccine, and now we have it,” Sobyanin said. “Now residents of Moscow have a unique opportunity to become the main participants in a clinical trial that will help defeat the coronavirus.”
Sobyanin said the vaccine had been proven to be safe on previous investigations.
“The post-registration clinical trial will allow for a permanent registration certificate and extension of the circle of potential vaccine recipients, including the 60+ age group,” said the Russian Direct Investment Fund.
The fund, which has bankrolled the development of the vaccine, also said additional trials are being conducted in five other countries, thought they did not specify which one.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke earlier this month about the effectiveness of the vaccine, saying his two adult daughters were vaccinated. Putin claimed that the vaccine had undergone adequate testing and demonstrated lasting immunity to the virus – although he did not provide any evidence to prove the vaccine’s effectiveness.
The international medical community is concerned that sending a vaccine that is not yet ready could undermine the willingness of people to get vaccinated.
Russian officials have compared the first country to produce a vaccine as an achievement similar to its launch of the first satellite in 1957 – making it a matter of national prestige.
Russia has reported 963,000 cases and more than 16,500 deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to data from John Hopkins University.
Recently, the Kremlin has been condemned by the US, UK and Canada for reported attempts at espionage and theft of fax data.
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“It is completely unacceptable that the Russian intelligence services are targeting those who are working to combat the coronavirus pandemic,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement earlier this month, following the British National Cyber Security Center recently Russian hacking detailed.
“While others pursue their selfish interests with reckless behavior, the United Kingdom and its allies continue the hard work of finding a vaccine and protecting global health,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
