Disinfo: The West is waging a targeted campaign against Sputnik V

Summary

Given that evidence published in international medical journals such as The Lancet had consistently demonstrated that Sputnik V is safe and effective, the scientific basis for restricting the travel of those vaccinated with Sputnik V seems shaky at best. For its part, Russia argues that political aspects and a targeted campaign in the West to undermine Russian vaccines are costing lives.

Disproof

The article is part of a pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign on the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, launched after its announcement was met with scepticism and criticism, even by Russian specialists in the country.

However, evidence exists that it was Russia that has at all times perceived the development of a coronavirus vaccine mainly in terms of geopolitical and economic gain.

Vaccines admitted for use on the EU market undergo the same scrutiny irrespectively of origin. For details of the review of Sputnik V see the EMA website.

Pro-Kremlin media often quote an article in the Lancet magazine, which showed 91.6 per cent effectiveness of Sputnik V without considerable side effects. However, there have been some doubts as to its efficacy, especially where the trial procedures are concerned (see here and here.) Recently, in the Lancet article published on 12 May 2021, critical questions about the Sputnik V data for the phase III clinical trial were raised.

Other disinformation reports following the same context said that the US and the EU face multiple deaths out of fear to admit Russia’s success against coronavirus; that the WHO confirmed that Sputnik V was on Phase 3 of clinical testing already in August 2020; that the WHO and Microsoft sabotaged the Russian vaccine; that the West criticises the Sputnik V because it can’t accept Russia’s primacy and because its pharmaceutical companies will lose billions of dollars.

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de.rt.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 250
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22/06/2021
  • Article language(s) German
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: vaccination, Sputnik V
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