Brazil Denies Permission To Import Russia's Sputnik Covid Vaccine Citing 'Serious Defects'

<p>The Brazilian health regulator Anvisa on Monday denied permission to import the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine citing "inherent risks",&nbsp; "serious" defects and lack of information on its its safety, quality and effectiveness.</p> <p>On request by state governors, Anvisa's five-strong board examined the documentation presented and voted unanimously not to approve the Russian vaccine.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/3sX4oRT Corona Cases, 27 April: Marginal Dip In Active Covid Cases Recorded; 3.23 Lakh Fresh Cases &amp; More Than 2700 Deaths Reported</a></strong></p> <p>Reuters in its report quoted Ana Carolina Moreira Marino Araujo, general manager for health monitoring, stating that technical staff had highlighted "inherent risks" and "serious" defects, citing a lack of information guaranteeing its safety, quality and effectiveness.</p> <p>Gustavo Mendes, the medicines and biological products manager of Anvisa, confirmed the development saying that the board noticed a crucial issue - the presence of adenovirus in the vaccine, which could produce a "serious" defect.</p> <p>About 14 states in Brazil had appealed for an urgent import of Sputnik to counter a growing wave of COVID-19 infections. According to the latest data available, the country has over 14 million recorded cases with a death toll approaching 400,000.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/3xqlHOE Was There For Us, And We Will Be There For Them': US Prez Biden After Phone Call With PM Modi</a></strong></p> <p>Russian made Sputnik V covid-19 vaccine has been approved in several countries around the world with scientists claiming 97.6% effective against the deadly virus against Covid-19 in a "real-world" assessment based on data from 3.8 million people.</p>