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Coronavirus pandemic

WHO says waiting for more documents on Sputnik V before inspectors’ visit

Earlier this year, the WHO inspected four Russian production sites within the framework of the procedure for preliminary qualification of the vaccine

GENEVA, September 27./TASS/. The World Health Organization (WHO) is waiting for additional information from Russia under the Emergency Use Listing Procedure (EUL). Only after this data is studied, can a trip by WHO experts to Russia be planned for Russia’s Sputnik V, the WHO Media Relations department told TASS on Monday.

"The inspection for Sputnik V vaccine in Russia under EUL will be planned once we receive and review further documents and information still awaited from the applicant," the press service said.

Earlier this year, the WHO inspected four Russian production sites within the framework of the procedure for preliminary qualification of the Sputnik V vaccine, publishing remarks regarding the activity of one of them. As the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade reported, once work is completed to root out the problems, WHO specialists can once again inspect this site.

On September 16, a source familiar with the course of negotiations told TASS in Moscow that cooperation with the WHO continued in a positive way, and that the next visit by the WHO delegation to Russia could be expected in the near future.

For now, the World Health Organization has recommended seven vaccines for an emergency use - China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, Comirnaty developed jointly by Pfizer and BioNTech, a vaccine by Janssen, Moderna as well as two variants of AstraZeneca. In addition, the WHO is looking into applications for 13 more vaccines, including Russia’s Sputnik V. According to information on the website of the organization, the date for a meeting of experts on the Russian vaccine will be established after all data is provided and an ensuing inspection is completed.

Sputnik V was registered in Russia on August 11, 2020, becoming the world’s first officially registered coronavirus vaccine. It is also the first jab on the adenovirus platform developed under the heterogeneous boosting technology (vaccine cocktail). Two different vectors for the two vaccine doses ensure a stronger and longer immune response. To date, the Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in 69 countries globally with a total population of over 3.7 bln people.

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