Venezuela in Talks With Russia to Procure and Produce “Sputnik V” Vaccine
This Thursday Venezuela participated in a meeting with the Russian authorities to seek alternatives for obtaining and producing the Russian vaccine “Sputnik V” to prevent coronavirus.
The meeting was carried out through a videoconference where the Venezuelan Minister of Health, Carlos Alvarado, participated for more than an hour this Thursday.
In this regard, Minister Alvarado reported that “in the videoconference, Venezuela’s interest in participating in phase 3 of the production of this vaccine was expressed, and for which confidentiality agreements were immediately signed and the selection of possible candidates began for advancing on this phase.”
“We spoke with the Russian Investment Fund and the Gamaley National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, which is creating the vaccine, to participate in phase 3 of the vaccine, we agreed to sign confidentiality agreements, and we discussed the selection of volunteers to test the effectiveness of the vaccine,” he said while adding that this process is carried out following the instructions issued by President Nicolás Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
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He explained that Venezuela is able to start the packaging process and then the production of the vaccine, through “Espromed Bio” vaccine plants and the “Quimbiotec” company, which allow starting with the packaging process first and then the complete production of the vaccine. “Questions were exchanged to see if Venezuela has the capacity to produce the vaccine,” he said.
“We are ready, we must make adjustments, and address technical issues so that it is the same vaccine that is produced in Russia,” he clarified.
He explained that the Russian authorities could participate during clinical trials in Venezuela.
Featured image: Photo courtesy of Ultimas Noticias.
Translation: OT/JRE/EF
