Ukraine won’t buy Russian coronavirus vaccine, health minister assures

15.10.2020 10:51

Ukrinform

Ukraine will not buy Russian vaccine allegedly for COVID-19 as it has not undergone all stages of clinical trials.

According to Health Minister of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov, there is no evidence that Russian vaccine has undergone all stages of clinical trials, especially the third one.

"To date, it is not even a subject for discussion: to buy Russian vaccine or not," Stepanov said, 24 TV channel informs.

In general, there are many vaccine manufactured by quite powerful companies but they are only in the final stages of clinical trials so far. In addition, the minister noted, it is necessary to make sure that any vaccine is safe and only then it can be recommended to citizens.

In mid-August, President of Russian Vladimir Putin announced the registration of Russia's first coronavirus vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of Russia’s Ministry of Health. The vaccine was named Sputnik V.

At the same time, clinical trials of EpiVacCorona vaccine, developed by the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR of the Federal Service for Surveillance in Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-being, were conducted.

Currently, these two vaccines for COVID-19 have been patented in Russia but have not undergone the third stage of trials, which involves testing the drug by large groups of volunteers.