Russia’s top doctor quits over COVID-19 vaccine registration
A top respiratory doctor quit the Russian health ministry’s ethics council after the country decided to go ahead with the registration of a COVID-19 vaccine even before conducting a crucial Phase 3 trial, MailOnline reported.
It appears that Professor Alexander Chuchalin wanted to block the registration of the vaccine on “safety” grounds, before quitting the ethics council, said the report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier announced that the country had registered the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine.
However, the country has faced criticism from different quarters for rushing the vaccine into production.
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not have sufficient information about the vaccine to comment on its effectiveness, an official of the UN health agency said on Thursday.
Chuchalin’s resignation suggests that the vaccine, dubbed “Sputnik V”, faced criticism from within the country also.
The MailOnline report also said that no specific reason was given for his resignation.
