MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/: Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the remark by European Medicines Agency (EMA) Chairwoman Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, who compared the idea of emergency authorizations of the Sputnik V vaccine to "playing Russian roulette," as incorrect and regrettable.
"As for this regrettable statement, it is incorrect to say the least. The demand for the vaccine and the vaccination campaigns in many countries indicate its relevance and popularity," Peskov told journalists Tuesday.
Earlier on March 9, developers of the Sputnik V vaccine demanded an apology from the EMA chairwoman for comparing the Russian vaccine authorization to "playing Russian roulette."
Peskov redirected the question on prospects of production of the vaccine in Italy to the Russian Direct Investment Fund. According to the spokesman, "several countries establish production chains, which will largely help to satisfy the growing demand of the external market."
The spokesman underscored that Sputnik V is one of the most popular vaccines in the world. "There could be no doubts at this point that this is one of the most popular and trusted vaccines in the world," he added.
Earlier, the media reported that the Direct Investment Fund plans to cooperate with Switzerland’s Adienne Pharma & Biotech in order to produce Sputnik V in Italy. According to the Fund’s Director Kirill Dmitriev, the production in Italy may begin in June, making it possible to vaccinate up to 700 million people before the end of this year. He also disclosed that the Fund would have announced 20 cooperation projects in 10 countries before the end of March. In particular, the Fund discusses cooperation with Germany and France.
On March 4, EMA announced the examination procedure for the Sputnik V vaccine. The agency stated that it would test the vaccine’s compliance with the EU standards for efficiency, safety and quality. A number of EU countries have already authorized the use of Sputnik V on their own without waiting for approval from the EMA. Currently, the vaccine is registered in Hungary and Slovakia.
The Russian vaccine’s efficiency is estimated at 91.6%, a figure confirmed by the relevant publication in The Lancet, one of the world’s oldest and most respected medical journals.
Politicization of vaccines
Moscow has always been against the politicization of any issues related to vaccines, Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
According to the spokesman, Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is highly effective against COVID-19. "Despite this, our vaccine faces criticism, some of it aspiring to be objective while the rest not even trying to be objective but rather being ungrounded, on a daily basis," he noted.
