The Medicines Regulatory Authority of Pakistan has approved the use of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a statement.
"The RDIF announces the approval of the use of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)," the fund said.
Pakistan became the 22nd country to approve the Sputnik V vaccine. The vaccine has been registered in Pakistan under an emergency use authorization based on data from clinical trials of Sputnik V in Russia.
The use of the Sputnik V vaccine has previously been approved in 21 countries: Russia, Belarus, Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, Algeria, Palestine, Venezuela, Paraguay, Turkmenistan, Hungary, UAE, Iran, Republic of Guinea, Tunisia, Armenia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Republic of Srpska (the entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Lebanon and Myanmar.
"Pakistan is one of the countries with the largest populations in the world, and the inclusion of the Sputnik V vaccine in the national coronavirus portfolio is an important step to ensure its diversification and protection of human health. The emergency use authorization of the vaccine was possible due to its high efficacy and safety, as well as the extensive study of the human adenovirus vector platform," RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev is quoted in the report.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from RIA Novosti