'Not world's first': Kiran Mazumdar Shaw rejects Russia's Sputnik-V COVID vaccine claim

As Russia's COVID-19 vaccine - Sputnik-V - has stirred debate about its safety around the world, Biotechnology industry veteran Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has questioned Russian claims of developing the world's first safe vaccine. Citing the absence of data on clinical trials, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw while speaking to news agency PTI said that the Russian cannot claim themselves to be the first as there are "more advanced" programmes elsewhere.

She said that launching a vaccine prior to completion of Phase 3 doesn't make the Russians first in the race to produce COVID vaccine, as it may be acceptable to the Russians but not the world. The world has not seen any data on Phase 1 or 2 clinical trials conducted by Moscow-based Gamaleya Research Institute, the Executive Chairperson of Bengaluru-headquartered Biocon Ltd added.

"If launching a vaccine prior to completion of Phase 3 trials is acceptable to Russia, well so be it. But it doesn't make them the world's first vaccine as several other vaccine programmes are even more advanced," Mazumdar-Shaw said.

Meanwhile on Thursday, in an exclusive Republic TV-RT's joint broadcast, shedding light upon the Sputnik-V, the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, Roman Kosarev, a correspondent with state-owned news channel Russia Today, addressed the criticism faced by Moscow from experts, particularly from the West, on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Kosarev acknowledged those criticisms saying it took Russia not a very long time to register Sputnik-V and in certain ways "these critics are right". "There is no way to create a vaccine from scratch that would be working just a few months after the research began," he said.

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AIIMS director's response

As Russia stunned the world after announcing that they are the first to produce a COVID-19 vaccine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria responded on the development. Speaking to media, Guleria said that India needs to see critically 'if the vaccine is safe'. There is a need to assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, he said adding that if indeed Russia is successful in its attempt. He elaborated that focus needs to be on good immunity and it should be checked that there are no side effects of the vaccine. The AIIMS Director also ensued confidence that India has the capacity for mass production of the vaccine.

“If Russia’s vaccine is successful, then we will have to see critically whether it is safe and effective. There should not be any side effects of the vaccine and it should provide good immunity and protection. India has the capacity for mass production of vaccine,” Dr Guleria said.

READ | Exclusive: 'Russian scientists working on technology behind COVID-19 vaccine for 20 yrs'

Russia's Covid vaccine 

Russia announced on Tuesday that it had become the first country to grant regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine. The first dose of the vaccine-Sputnik-V, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry, was administered to Russian President Vladimir Putin's daughter.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin claimed that a Coronavirus vaccine developed in the country has proven efficient during tests, offering a lasting immunity from the coronavirus. Putin emphasised that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests. He added that one of his two daughters has received a shot of the vaccine and is stable. Russian authorities have said that medical workers, teachers and other risk groups will be the first to be inoculated.

Russia is the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine. Many scientists in the country and abroad have been skeptical, however, questioning the decision to register the vaccine before Phase 3 trials that normally last for months and involve thousands of people.

(with PTI inputs)

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