Absence Of Trial Data, Experts Doubtful About Russian Vaccine’s Effectiveness, So Far Tested On 38 People 

New Delhi: On the basis of vaccine tested on just 38 people, Russia claimed that the vaccine was tested and ready for human use. But there is no data available on pre-clinical trials and no scientific input in peer-reviewed journals about the development of the vaccine by Russia, which is creating doubt about its development, says experts.

Questions have been raised by scientists as to why the apex body of healthcare, the World Health Organisation, has not been involved in the announcement. Have the results of the trials been reviewed by WHO. An indigenous vaccine development will require at least eight to 12 months and there must be some trial results on animals and humans available for assessment to understand its efficacy.

None of these has been provided by Russia which has only said that the vaccine was tested on 38 people and they have completely recovered.

According to CCMB director Dr Rakesh Mishra, “It is a very unreliable vaccine as there is no data available on how and in what manner trials have been carried out. For any vaccine development, apart from time, there are thousands of people who have to be tested. How have they tested the number that they have provided to the world without a cure? When we inject a virus in the body, there has to also be a cure available. But there is no definite cure for Covid-19 yet. There is no clarity on this. Till these questions are answered, no country will be willing to take the vaccine from Russia.”

While one section of the medical and scientific fraternity is positive and keenly looking forward to the results of the vaccine, others are sceptical due to the lack of scientific information being given out by Russia.

R. Gangadhar, state convener of Breakthrough Science Society said, “We have to congratulate Russia for coming out with a vaccine so soon. The results on their human population will now be very important. The real benefit of the vaccine will be judged only when the worldwide populations benefit the same way as the populace of Russia. Due to demographic changes, there is always a concern as it has been frequently noted in the development of vaccines.”