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ACTO worried about premature roll-out of Russian COVID-19 vaccine

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Russia’s Association of Clinical Trials Organisation, ACTO, has raised concern that the premature roll-out of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine could be a political decision, and not science-based.

Russia has recently announced the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine could be rolled out within two weeks; rejecting as groundless, safety concerns expressed over rapid approval of the drug.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize discusses the Russian COVID-19 vaccine trial: 

Researchers have warned that the vaccine, named Sputnik V, has not yet been adequately vetted. The head of ACTO in Russia, Svetlana Zavidova, says Russia needs to fully complete trial processes, as the premature production of the vaccine could endanger people who receive it.

“They conducted one clinical trial, when there are two stages. So we understood that this is only some pieces of information about safety or data. I am afraid that this is not a scientific question; it is a political decision. They want to be the first in the world. How can they put on the market some product without evidence of it being safe?”

‘Vaccine roll-out unacceptable and worrying’

Professor of Medicine and Chief Operating Officer of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation on Thursday described Russia’s announcement that it has developed a COVID-19 vaccine as a risky move.

The Professor described as worrying and unacceptable Russia’s short-cut in the development of the vaccine.

“When a vaccine has been tested under trial conditions, people are very carefully monitored and they understand the risks they are taking for this informed process and they are obviously in that limited experiment. Once you move to rolling this out in the public, that is a very different message, it says we believe this works and we are doing this for your own well-being and so trust us, go for it.”

However, Russian government officials said the vaccine will be administered to medical personnel and then to teachers, on a voluntary basis at the end of August or in early September, while mass roll-out in the country is expected to start in October.

The vaccine is administered in two doses and consists of two serotypes of a human adenovirus, each carrying an S-antigen of the new coronavirus, which enter human cells and produce an immune response.

Health professionals concerned about the Russian COVID-19 vaccine trials: 

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