Anvisa refutes accusations of Sputnik V developers

Brazil’s federal health regulator Anvisa responded to accusations made by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) — which financed the development of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine — refuting that it made “false accusations” about the Russian-made immunizer.

The RDIF accused the agency of fabricating information regarding the presence of replicating adenoviruses in Sputnik V, threatening they would sue Anvisa.

In a press conference, Anvisa chairman Antônio Barra Torres said the agency’s technical department identified problems with the vaccine based on documents sent by its developers. According to Mr. Barra Torres, Anvisa is still waiting for more information about the immunizer, such as the data that led Russian regulators to approve Sputnik V’s emergency use. 

On Tuesday, Anvisa unanimously rejected requests to import Sputnik V, citing difficulties asserting its quality and safety. In response, the vaccine’s manufacturers said they handed over more information to Anvisa than any other regulatory agency, and hoped it would base its decisions on “science and not pressure from another country.”

This was in reference to revelations that the Donald Trump administration attempted to convince Brazil not to purchase Sputnik V, as stated in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report. The country justified the move as a way to “combat malignant influences in the Americas.”

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