Govt allows Russia's Sputnik V COVID vaccine for 'emergency use'

(Karachi) As part of measures to protect the population from coronavirus, the government has given approval for Russian developed Sputnik V vaccine under “emergency use authorisation”, local media reported. A local pharmaceutical company has been assigned the task to import and distribute the vaccine.

As per details, Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine has become the third to be approved for emergency use in the country. The double dose of Sputnik V in Pakistan would cost double the rates at which it is available in India.

Reportedly, the approval for the vaccine has been given in a meeting of the registration board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap).

DRAP officials said a committee of experts comprising top infectious diseases experts and pathologists for the evaluation of clinical trials data for registration of COVID-19 vaccines on January 21, 2020 recommended the granting of Emergency Use Authorization for Sputnik-V vaccine in Pakistan.

Drap has already authorised Oxford University-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in Pakistan and Chinese state-owned firm Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.

Earlier, as struggle to get coronavirus vaccine gained momentum globally, Russia offered to supply its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to Pakistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter to this effect along with data on the vaccine’s clinical research and trials from the Russian Embassy in Islamabad. The Foreign Ministry sent the vaccine offer to the National Health Services (NHS) for further process.

Vaccine developed by Russia proved to be 92 percent effective in preventing coronavirus, the interim results showed. Russia registered Sputnik V for public use in August, the first country to do so, though the approval came before the start of the large-scale trial in September.

The Phase III trial of the shot developed by the Gamaleya Institute took place in 29 clinics across Moscow and involved 40,000 volunteers in total. The chances of contracting COVID-19 were 92% lower among people vaccinated with Sputnik V, the Russian Direct Investment Fund stated.