Board members of the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) voted to approve imports and limited use of Russia’s Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine during a meeting on Friday night, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.
The proposal, read out by board member Alex Machado Campus stipulates "temporarily permitting, under exceptional terms, imports of the vaccine in the following numbers, which correspond to 1% of the states’ population in accordance with the June 2021 vaccination schedule: Bahia - 300,000 doses, Maranhao - 141,000 doses, Sergipe - 46,000 doses, Seara - 183,000 doses, Pernambuco - 192,000 doses, Piaui - 66,000 doses."
In his opinion, this amount of the vaccine would be sufficient for the initial stage of vaccination. Reports about the vaccination and its results will be submitted to Anvisa and will help to decide on future supplies.
The proposal was supported by three other members of the five-member board, including Anvisa Director-President Antonio Barra Torres. One of the members opposed the decision.
Debates that preceded the voting lasted more than seven hours.
The decision does not imply state registration of Sputnik V in Brazil.
Apart from Sputnik V, the Brazilian regulator also authorized imports and limited use of India’s anti-coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin.
On April 26, the Brazilian regulator denied permission to import and use the Russian vaccine Sputnik V in the country. The regulator’s meeting lasted more than four hours. Experts’ conclusions and their opinions regarding the safety and effectiveness of the Russian vaccine were presented. On May 22, the watchdog received the missing papers about the vaccine’s quality and efficacy.