MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th February, 2021) Brazil is interested in procuring Russia's coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V showing over 90 percent efficacy, the Latin American country's Ministry of Health said on Friday.
The announcement came after the national Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) approved a new protocol that simplifies the issuance of authorization for the emergency use of drugs tested abroad. In particular, now, it is not necessary to conduct the phase 3 clinical trials to receive the approval. In addition, the parliament's upper house has eased the rules for distributing medicines that have at least one approval from a foreign regulator.
"Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Health Elcio Franco today expressed to representatives of the Uniao Quimica [pharmaceutical company] interest in purchasing [the Russian vaccine]," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added that the vaccine was now set to be approved by the national regulator for emergency use.
Brazil has already approved the coronavirus vaccines developed by the UK's AstraZeneca and China's Sinovac for emergency use.
In January, Anvisa refused to grant Uniao Quimica authorization for the emergency use of Sputnik V. Anvisa said in a statement that the application, submitted by Uniao Quimica jointly with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, was returned because it did not present the minimum requirements to be subjected to analysis.
Uniao Quimica started the production of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in Brazil in January.
