"Priority Vaccination for 800 Teachers and Medical Staff This Month"
Safety Concerns Over Mass Vaccination with Vaccine Not Yet Completed Phase 2 Clinical Trials
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Russian health authorities announced that starting in October, they will begin mass production and administration of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine independently developed by a Russian state-owned research institute. Although the vaccine is still undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials and has not yet entered the final Phase 3 stage, Russian authorities are expected to approve its administration soon, raising safety concerns.
According to foreign media including CNBC on the 3rd (local time), Mikhail Murashko, Russia's Minister of Health, stated, "We plan to start large-scale vaccinations from October," adding, "Medical personnel and teachers will be the first to receive the vaccine starting this month, and once mass production begins in September, nationwide vaccination will be possible from early next year." Russian health authorities expect about 800 teachers and doctors, who are prioritized for vaccination, to receive the vaccine within this month.
Denis Manturov, Russia's Minister of Industry and Trade, also explained in an interview with the state-owned TASS news agency, "We expect mass production of the vaccine from September," and "We will secure hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses within a month and produce millions by early next year," adding that vaccine production is being prepared at three pharmaceutical facilities within the country. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian sovereign wealth fund RDIF supporting the Gamaleya Research Institute that developed the vaccine, also stated that official approval of the vaccine will be "granted within ten days."
Contrary to the Russian government's expectations, the global medical community is raising safety concerns about the vaccine. The vaccine has only completed Phase 2 clinical trials so far and is about to enter Phase 3 trials; approving its use without completing the final clinical stage is considered risky. Generally, it is known that verifying vaccine safety requires at least one to one and a half years.
Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), pointed out at a U.S. congressional hearing held late last month, "Vaccines from China and Russia raise concerns about safety and efficacy," adding, "I hope China and Russia conduct proper testing before administering their vaccines. Claiming to distribute vaccines before testing is problematic."
The World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasized that, for now, preventive measures take priority over vaccines or treatments. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated during a virtual briefing held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, "There is currently no specific cure for COVID-19, and there may never be one," emphasizing, "The only way to stop the spread now depends on the basics of public health and disease control, and it is important to follow basic preventive measures such as handwashing and wearing masks."
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