The scientific journal Nature published an article in which the author makes the case for the safety and efficacy of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.

According to journalist Bianca Nogradi, the Sputnik V vaccine acts on the basis of adenovirus, that is, it uses an engineered adenovirus as a way to deliver the genetic code of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into human cells. Unlike AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, Sputnik V uses different adenoviruses. Dmitry Kulish, a biotechnology researcher from Skolkovo Institute, explains that due to the presence of two adenoviruses, the vaccine penetrates human cells by two different methods, which increases the probability of successful delivery of the viral genetic material.

The article notes that the results of vaccinating 3.4 million Russian residents with the two components of Sputnik V, published by the Gamaleya Centre in April this year, demonstrate the effectiveness of the drug in 97.6% of cases. Approximately the same rate of effectiveness (97.8%) of preventing symptomatic coronavirus was found in the United Arab Emirates, where 81 thousand people were inoculated with the Russian vaccine. At the same time the effectiveness of the drug in preventing the severe course of the disease there was estimated at 100%. At the same time Argentinean authorities reported that one dose of Sputnik Lite reduced the number of symptomatic infections by 78.6% and the number of hospitalizations by 87.6%. These results showed a study of 40,400 vaccinated and more than 146,000 unvaccinated citizens of the country aged 60 to 79 years.

In addition, the journalist notes that, unlike AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, to date not a single case of thrombosis associated with vaccinated Sputnik V - at least, such problems have not been reported by authorities and experts in Russia, or in those countries where vaccination with the Russian drug takes place. Possible reasons why the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency still have not approved the Russian vaccine may lie in the lack of data on side effects, the author suggests. However, the WHO has already requested more information from the Gamaleya Centre, and the agency continues to monitor Russian vaccine production and clinical trials. It is noted that nine sites have been inspected so far, and the WHO has identified concerns for only one of them.

Studies of the Sputnik V vaccine are ongoing, including in Argentina, Venezuela and Turkey, which will create a more accurate picture of the safety and efficacy of the Russian vaccine, according to Norgadi.

The Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in 67 countries with a total population of more than 3.5 billion people.