Sputnik V makers demand apology from EU after comparing vaccine to ‘Russian roulette’
The developers of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine have questioned the neutrality of the European Medicines Agency after an official urged EU members not to approve its jab.
Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, head of EMA’s management board, told an Austrian talk show on 7 March that emergency rollouts would be “comparable to Russian roulette”.
The developers took to Twitter to demand an apology, adding that the vaccine had already been approved in 46 countries.
“After postponing Sputnik V review for months, EMA does not have the right to undermine the credibility of 46 other regulators that reviewed all of the necessary data,” the developers added.
Sputnik V has already been approved in three EU member states – Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that plans to produce the vaccine in Italy would help quickly satisfy demand for the shot abroad.
Peskov’s comments come after the Moscow-based RDIF sovereign wealth fund and Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Adienne signed a deal to produce Sputnik V in Italy.
The agreement, which will need approval from Italian regulators before production can be launched, means the vaccine could be produced in Europe for the first time.