|
Vodka and
Tolstoy might be losing their status as Russia’s most esteemed exports.
Yesterday, President Vladimir Putin announced his government has
approved the first COVID-19 vaccine, which will be ready for the public by January.
And yes, they named it Sputnik-V after the pioneering satellite.
Not so fast
Many health
officials are worried Russia cut corners. Moscow-based Gamaleya
Institute, which developed the vaccine, hasn’t actually finished human
trials.
- The vaccine starts Phase
3 today. That usually involves thousands of participants and a placebo
and is typically the final test before approval.
An
association representing clinical trials organizations asked Russia’s
health agency on Monday to delay approval until Phase 3 is complete.
Nevertheless, Putin was confident enough to inoculate his own daughter,
and yesterday Russia’s national health minister said teachers and medical workers will start receiving the vaccine this month.
Russian officials told CNN they’ve already received applications for 1+ billion doses from 20 countries.
The great vaccine race
Of the 30+
vaccines in human trials, eight have reached Phase 3. Last month,
Russian drugmaker R-Pharm struck a deal to license one of them,
co-developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford.
- The U.S. also has a $1.2 billion licensing deal with AstraZeneca for 300 million doses if it moves it to production.
- Yesterday, the U.S. also agreed to buy 100 million doses of Moderna's potential vaccine.
Asked about
Russia’s news, U.S. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said, "The point is not to
be first...the point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective.”
But that hasn’t stopped countries from jockeying to secure first place.
Last month, the U.S., the UK, and Canada called out Russian intelligence services for hacking researchers and companies working on COVID-19 vaccines (allegations Russia denies).
Big picture: Rushing to approve a faulty vaccine could undermine public trust. In a recent survey, over one-third of U.S. adults said they wouldn’t get one, even if it’s FDA-approved and free.
+ While we’re here: A
lack of understanding about COVID-19's effects on the immune system
makes finding a vaccine a daunting task. The Atlantic’s Ed Yong dives into COVID-19 and immunology.
|
I AM A REPUBLICAN BORN AND BRED
IN AMERICA .I BELIEVE IN EQUALITY AND JUSTICE AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.I SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
MAJORED IN GEOLOGY AND MUSIC AND WENT TO ANGELO STATE IN SAN ANGELO, TEXAS
No comments:
Post a Comment