WHO delayed recognition of Sputnik V due to bureaucratic issues

The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Kirill Dmitriev, has said that Russia’s covid vaccine Sputnik V has not yet been approved by the WHO due to minor bureaucratic issues

“The Russian Ministry of Health has very positive contacts on cooperation with the WHO, and we understand that the obstacles that still remain are minor and purely bureaucratic in nature”, –  he said.

The head of RPFI especially noted that “the efficacy and safety of the Sputnik V vaccine has been confirmed, leaving no doubt, in clinical trials and its use around the world”.

As a reminder, the Russian vaccine Sputnik V was registered in Russia on 11 August 2020, becoming the world’s first officially recognised vaccine against coronavirus. The drug has now been approved in 71 countries worldwide.