Russia has started testing Sputnik V vaccine in cancer patients

Russia has started clinical trials of the covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, in cancer patients, announced Alexandr Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya center.

“Separately, research on cancer patients has already startedGintsburg told Russian public television. The scientist stressed that “at the moment, there is no oncological disease that could be contraindicated against this vaccine”.

But he clarified: “The only exception is when the patient is undergoing chemotherapy and taking drugs that prevent cells from multiplying.“.

In such cases, he said, “the vaccine does nothing wrong, but at the same time the (desired) effect of vaccination is not achieved“.

Gintsburg too not recommended to use Sputnik V in people with severe allergic complications.

The Gamaleya Center is collaborating on the study of the effects of the vaccine in cancer patients with the principal oncologist of the Ministry of Health, Andréi Kaprin.

The best so far?

The scientist pointed out that Sputnik V showed “the same effectiveness” in all age segments, including those over 60 years old. “Among the 4-6 preparations (against the coronavirus) that exist in the world (…), from what we see, Sputnik V occupies the first place, because of its qualities,», He stressed.

In addition, he felt that people who have already contracted the virus, but have few antibodies, should be vaccinated in the same way as those who have never been infected.

“The duration of the (immunological) effects of this vaccine will be very long. We hope it will be two years or more“, He added.

Sputnik V, to which Russia has already added two other vaccines -EpiVacCorona and CoviVac-, has already been registered in 50 countries with a population of over 1,300 million people.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) started the process of evaluating Sputnik V last week, a step that should lead to a license for its use in the territory of the European Union (EU).

The Russian Direct Investment Fund has signed contracts with a dozen pharmaceutical companies from Brazil, China, Iran, Serbia or South Korea for the overseas production of around 1.4 billion doses and, according to the press, talks are underway in the same direction with the Europeans. countries.

(With information from EFE)

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