'Not world's first': Kiran Mazumdar Shaw rejects Russia's Sputnik-V COVID vaccine claim

As Russia's COVID-19 vaccine - Sputnik-V - has stirred debate about its safety around world, Biotechlogy industry veteran Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has questioned Russian claims of developing world's first safe vaccine. Citing absence of data on clinical trials, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw while speaking to news ncy PTI said that Russian cant claim mselves to be  first as re are "more vanced" programmes elsewhere.

She said that launching a vaccine prior to completion of Phase 3 doesn't make Russians first in race to produce COVID vaccine, as it may be acceptable to Russians but t world. world has t seen any data on Phase 1 or 2 clinical trials conducted by Moscow-based Gamaleya Research Institute, Executive Chairperson of Bengaluru-hequartered Biocon Ltd ded.

"If launching a vaccine prior to completion of Phase 3 trials is acceptable to Russia, well so be it. But it doesn't make m world's first vaccine as several or vaccine programmes are even more vanced," Mazumdar-Shaw said.

Meanwhile on Thursday, in an exclusive Republic TV-RT's joint brocast, shedding light upon Sputnik-V, world's first COVID-19 vaccine, Roman Kosarev, a correspondent with state-owned news channel Russia Today, dressed criticism faced by Moscow from experts, particularly from West, on safety and efficacy of vaccine.

Kosarev ackwledged those criticisms saying it took Russia t a very long time to register Sputnik-V and in certain ways "se critics are right". "re is way to create a vaccine from scratch that would be working just a few months after research began," he said.

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AIIMS director's response

As Russia stunned world after anuncing that y are first to produce a COVID-19 vaccine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria responded on development. Speaking to media, Guleria said that India needs to see critically 'if vaccine is safe'. re is a need to assess safety and effectiveness of vaccine, he said ding that if indeed Russia is successful in its attempt. He elaborated that focus needs to be on good immunity and it should be checked that re are side effects of vaccine. AIIMS Director also ensued confidence that India has capacity for mass production of vaccine.

“If Russia’s vaccine is successful, n we will have to see critically wher it is safe and effective. re should t be any side effects of vaccine and it should provide good immunity and protection. India has capacity for mass production of vaccine,” Dr Guleria said.

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Russia's Covid vaccine 

Russia anunced on Tuesday that it h become first country to grant regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine. first dose of vaccine-Sputnik-V, developed by Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of Russian Healthcare Ministry, was ministered to Russian President Vlimir Putin's daughter.

Russia's President Vlimir Putin claimed that a Coronavirus vaccine developed in country has proven efficient during tests, offering a lasting immunity from coronavirus. Putin emphasised that vaccine underwent necessary tests. He ded that one of his two daughters has received a shot of vaccine and is stable. Russian authorities have said that medical workers, teachers and or risk groups will be first to be iculated.

Russia is first country to register a coronavirus vaccine. Many scientists in country and abro have been skeptical, however, questioning decision to register vaccine before Phase 3 trials that rmally last for months and involve thousands of people.

(with PTI inputs)

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