Russia's top doctor resigns over 'gross violations' of ethics to make COVID-19 vaccine

A top respiratory doctor in Russia has resigned from the Russian health ministry because of 'gross violations' of medical ethics regarding 'Sputnik-V'. According to the reports, Professor Alexander Chuchalin has left the health ministry's ethics council after trying to block the registration of  'world's first coronavirus vaccine' claimed by Russia on safety grounds. Chuchain allegedly named and accused two medical experts involved in the vaccine's development for defying medical ethics and rushing to produce the vaccine. Professor Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Research Centre and Professor Sergey Borisevich, Russia's leading expert in virology are the two doctors behind the new 'world-beating vaccine'.

READ: WHO Says Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik V Yet To Complete Advanced Trials

Russia's top health expert resigns

Concerned about the safety, Chauchalin asked them about the safety norms violated, as per reports. He reiterated that "this job has not been done. Thus, one of the ethical principles of medicine has been grossly violated- to do no harm." Chuchalin also talked about the concerns expressed world regarding the safety of the Russian vaccine. According to the reports, there are no specific reasons for his resignation. 

READ: 'Not World's First': Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Rejects Russia's Sputnik-V COVID Vaccine Claim

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the vaccine approved by the Russian authorities this week is not among the nine vaccine candidates that it considers to be in the advanced stage, including Oxford and AstraZeneca’s ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222), which is currently undergoing the final phase of testing. Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior adviser to WHO's director-general, reportedly said that the global body is in talks with Russia to get additional information as they don't have enough material to make a judgement on the vaccine developed by Russia. 

On August 11, Russia announced that it had become the first country to develop a vaccine and authorise it for public use, but experts from across the world doubt the safety of the drug as it has not yet completed advanced trials on humans. Russian President Vladimir Putin had controversially claimed that one of his daughters had been given the vaccine developed by the country. 
READ: Russia's Coronavirus Vaccine: Philippines To Begin Phase 3 Trials In October

READ:Exclusive: 'Russian Scientists Working On Technology Behind COVID-19 Vaccine For 20 Yrs'