The arrival of Sputnik V

Balakrishnan, Vijay Shankar

doi:10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30709-x

Cited by 51 publications

(42 citation statements)

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“…There are several potential reasons behind the low level of trust in Sputnik V. Firstly, this vaccine was already approved in Russia in August 2020, three weeks before the first results from an open, non-randomized phase 1/2 clinical trials were published [ 51 ] and months before the interim data from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 were made available at the beginning of February 2021 [ 52 ], the time the vaccine was already in use numerous countries outside the EU. Such an approach, to authorize and then conduct the pivotal research, was met with a high level of disapproval from the scientific and medical community [ 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ]. Secondly, Sputnik V’s distrust in the surveyed group is also likely to a generally high rate of unfavorable views of the Russian Federation in Poland, a result of a long and turbulent history of relations between these two countries [ 57 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Perception and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

et al. 2021

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Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present cross-sectional online survey of adult Poles (n = 1020) expressing a willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was conducted between February and March 2021 and aimed to assess (i) the general trust in different types of vaccines, (ii) the level of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines already in use in Poland (BNT162b2 by BioNTech/Pfizer, mRNA-1273 by Moderna and AZD1222 by Oxford/AstraZeneca) as well as eight vaccines approved outside European Union (EU) or in advanced stages of clinical trials, (iii) level of fear of vaccination against COVID-19, and (iv) main sources of information on COVID-19 vaccination. Among all major vaccine technology, the highest level of trust was observed for the mRNA platform, with a considerable number of surveyed (>20%) not aware of the existence of vaccines produced using the traditional approach (inactivated and live attenuated vaccines). The age of participants was the main factor differentiating the level of trust in a particular vaccine type. Both BNT162b and mRNA-1273 received a high level of acceptance, contrary to AZD1222. From eight vaccines unauthorized in the EU at the moment of study, the CVnCoV (mRNA; CureVac) was met with the highest level of trust, followed by Ad26.COV2.S (vector; Janssen/Johnson&Johnson) and NVX-CoV2373 (protein; Novavax). Sputnik V (vector; Gamaleya Research Institute) was decidedly the least trusted vaccine. The median level of fear (measured by the 10-point Likert-type scale) in the studied group was 4.0, mostly related to the risk of serious allergic reactions, other severe adverse events and unknown long-term effects of vaccination. Female, individuals with a lower level of education and those not seeking any information on the COVID-19 vaccines revealed a higher fear of vaccination. Experts’ materials were the major source of information on COVID-19 vaccines in the studied group. The study shows the level of trust in COVID-19 vaccines can vary much across the producers while the mRNA vaccines are received with a high level of acceptance. It also emphasizes the need for effective and continuous science communication when fighting the pandemic as it may be an ideal time to increase the general awareness of vaccines.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Perception and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

et al. 2021

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“…As of December 2020, as many as 55 vaccines have entered the foray of clinical trials with many more yet in their preliminary stages. Among the frontrunners that have gained approval include the mRNA-based vaccines named BNT162b2 (Polack, Thomas et al 2020)and mRNA-1273(Baden, El Sahly et al 2020)manufactured by ModernaTX Inc.; CoronaVac(Zhang, Zeng et al 2020), which utilize an inactivated form of the virus; Sputnik V(Balakrishnan 2020, Burki 2020). However, since Spike proteins only comprise a small fraction of the viral proteome, epitopes focusing only on this singular protein may not be as effective in eliciting a strong immune response compared to a mutli-epitope vaccine designed to target multiple viral proteins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Country specific mutational profile of SARS-CoV-2 in pre- and post-international travel ban: Effect on vaccine efficacy

Laha

Chatterjee

2021

Preprint

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In order to curb the rapid transmission of SARS-CoV-2, nation-wide lockdowns were implemented as a preliminary measure. Since most countries enforced travel-bans during end of March 2020, the country-specific patterns should be discernible in the subsequent months. We identified frequently mutated non-synonymous mutations in 2,15,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences during pre and post-travel-ban periods in 35 countries. We further investigated the mutational profile on a bi-monthly basis and traced the progress over the time. Several new mutations have emerged post-travel-ban and on the rise in specific countries, chief among them being A222V and S477N in Spike, and A220V in Nucleocapsid protein. Consequently, we examined the Spike protein epitopes to inspect whether any of these country-specific mutations overlapped with these epitopes. Several mutations were found to be contained within one or more epitopes, including the highly mutated residues of Spike protein, advocating the requirement of active monitoring of vaccine efficacies in respective countries.

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“…This is especially true in the area of vaccines. For example, the Russian adenovirus-vectored COVID-19 vaccine has shown some promise in published Phase I trials [ 12 ], although its rapid registration ahead of Phase III or pivotal studies, together with propaganda calling it “Sputnik V,” raises concerns surrounding its quality control or assurances [ 13 ]. An irony is that a parallel and vast Russian anti-vaccine internet campaign is helping to undermine public confidence in vaccines [ 14 ], with Sputnik V potentially swept into the disinformation vortex as collateral damage.…”

Section: An Anti-science Legacy Through Vaccinesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti-science kills: From Soviet embrace of pseudoscience to accelerated attacks on US biomedicine

Hotez

2021

PLoS Biol

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The United States witnessed an unprecedented politicization of biomedical science starting in 2015 that has exploded into a complex, multimodal anti-science empire operating through mass media, political elections, legislation, and even health systems. Anti-science activities now pervade the daily lives of many Americans, and threaten to infect other parts of the world. We can attribute the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans from COVID-19, measles, and other vaccine-preventable diseases to anti-science. The acceleration of anti-science activities demands not only new responses and approaches but also international coordination. Vaccines and other biomedical advances will not be sufficient to halt COVID-19 or future potentially catastrophic illnesses, unless we simultaneously counter anti-science aggression.

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The arrival of Sputnik V

Cited by 51 publications

References 0 publications

The Perception and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

The Perception and Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

Country specific mutational profile of SARS-CoV-2 in pre- and post-international travel ban: Effect on vaccine efficacy

Anti-science kills: From Soviet embrace of pseudoscience to accelerated attacks on US biomedicine

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