Science or politics? Why Slovakia does not use the purchased "Sputnik V" vaccine

Novye Izvestia has already reported on the scandal that erupted in Slovakia over the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. The fact is that the Russian vaccine brought there (200 thousand doses were delivered to this country from Russia) has already been in the warehouse for a month, since its composition differs from the one that was clinically tested and the data about which are posted in the medical journal "Lancet". According to the State Institute for Drug Control, the ingredients of the batches already supplied do not correspond to the vaccine recognized by the experts as effective.

In addition, the media report that this vaccine and the form is not similar to those that the Russian side recently supplied to the EU certification commission.

"There is no evidence that the imported vaccine is the same as the one provided to the EU certification body for registration", - the Slovaks say.

The report of the experts of the Slovak State Institute for the Control of the Circulation of Medicines SUKL, among other things, says that both single and multiple doses were supplied to the country. Storage conditions, composition and manufacturing processes also varied. Information from countries where Sputnik V was already used did not match the information available to the Slovak authorities. "These vaccines only have a general name", - the inspectors literally wrote. Even before that, they accused the manufacturing company of insufficient information.

In connection with the scandal, Minister of Health of Slovakia Marek Krajci resigned. Moreover, by his order, the actual use of the Russian vaccine could begin only after a positive SUKL test result. Therefore, until now, the vaccine has not been used.

Russia reacted to the scandal as follows: yesterday, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) asked the Slovak government to return the batch of Sputnik V vaccine due to numerous contract violations so that it could be used in other countries.

Journalist Kirill Shulika believes that the reason for the scandal is purely political:

“Generally amazing, of course, the former countries of the socialist camp. Already, in principle, not so few years have passed, and their complexes of the outskirts of the empire are getting stronger and stronger. The vaccine is simple. There is an opinion of scientists, in addition, "Sputnik V" is used in many countries of the world, probably it is not ideal (although it works for me), but the risk of getting sick and dying from coronavirus is definitely higher than from a vaccine. I will never understand how you can do so that your citizens in the country die of infection in order for the ruling elite to amuse their complexes in the outskirts of the empire..."

The media also report that despite the situation, the popularity of Sputnik V in Slovakia is growing. Polls show that 55% of those surveyed prefer the vaccine. A third of those who do not want to be vaccinated are ready to change their minds if they are vaccinated with a Russian vaccine.