Moscow to begin vaccine trials; Trump backs plasma treatment; survey finds 30% of Delhi has antibodies Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Peter Beaumont and agencies Thu 20 Aug 2020 16.53 BST Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via EmailThe World Health Organization is in discussions with Russia to obtain more information about its experimental Covid-19 vaccine – named Sputnik V - even as Russia plans to give it to some 40,000 people next week for further testing. Last week, Russia became the first country in the world to license a coronavirus vaccine when the president, Vladimir Putin, announced its approval ahead of conventional phase 3 testing. 'They've jumped the gun': scientists worry about Russia's Covid-19 vaccine At the time of the announcement the vaccine had not passed the advanced trials normally required to prove it works before being licensed, a major breach of scientific protocol. Russian officials claimed the vaccine would provide lasting immunity to Covid-19 but offered no proof. But it emerged on Thursday that some large-scale testing will now apparently go ahead as the vaccine is rolled out, with Sputnik V’s financial backers saying that about 40,000 people would be given the vaccine starting next week in tests overseen by a foreign research body. Catherine Smallwood, a senior emergency official at WHO/Europe, said the agency had begun direct discussions with Russia and that WHO officials have been sharing the various steps and information required for the WHO to take assessments. Hans Kluge, director of WHO/Europe, said the agency welcomed all advances in vaccine development but that every vaccine must submit to the same clinical trials. “We’re not going through a rushed job of trying to jump to conclusions here,” Smallwood said. “We want to take our time to really understand where the vaccine is at and to get as full information as possible on the steps that have already been taken.”
Informative article.