DISINFO: Western vaccine manufacturers rely on experimental and untested technologies, which delay efforts to combat coronavirus
SUMMARY
Western vaccine manufacturers rely on experimental, little-studied and untested over the long-term technologies in the development of the coronavirus vaccine. This leads to obstacles during their clinical trials, which delays the introduction of drugs in public circulation and negatively affects the efforts to combat the coronavirus.
RESPONSE
This narrative is part of the on-going pro-Kremlin disinformation on coronavirus aiming to promote the Sputnik V vaccine and present Russia as a 'leader in the COVID-19 management'. The claim implies that the West relies on "experimental technologies", while Sputnik V uses live human adenovirus, which has been proven safe over decades of studies. This assertion is false since WHO's database registers at least 11 other vaccines that use similar technology. Moreover, the potential effectiveness of human adenovirus-based vaccines remains a matter of debate. Companies developing the vaccine in the West adhere to standard testing procedure, which usually involves years of research and testing before reaching the clinic, but scientists are now aiming to produce a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine by next year. On the other hand, there is credible evidence that the Russian government pressed Russian scientists and researchers to be the first to find a vaccine against Covid-19, and did everything at hand to shorten the process, raising concerns about the safety and efficiency of the Sputnik V vaccine. For further debunking, check Polygraph. Read similar cases claiming that ugly commercial interests are behind the criticism of the Russian vaccine, that Russian progress in COVID-19 vaccine has become for the West an outrageous challenge and that the West lost another round in fight against the pandemic.