UK Epidemiologist Says Sputnik V Presents Sufficient Evidence of Efficacy

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A UK expert in virology and epidemiology believes Russia had presented sufficient evidence to prove the efficacy of its Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus, TASS reports citing Canada’s CBC channel.

“The data [is] compatible with the vaccine being reasonably effective,” the channel quoted Stephen Evans, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, as saying.

The expert was commenting on the results of the Russian vaccine’s clinical trials, which demonstrated the efficacy of 95%.

“These results are consistent with what we see with other vaccines, because the really big message for global health scientists is that this disease [COVID-19] is able to be addressed by vaccines,” the expert added.

On August 11, Russia registered the world’s first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V, was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Health Ministry, and its clinical trials were successfully completed in June-July.

According to intermediate results of the research, the vaccine’s efficacy is estimated at above 95% on the 42nd day after the injection of the first dose, on the condition that the patient has also received the second dose.