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DISINFO: Europe has politicised the Covid-19 vaccines from the very beginning

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

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Sputnik V coronavirus Europe vaccination

DISINFO: Europe has politicised the Covid-19 vaccines from the very beginning

SUMMARY

Since the beginning, Europe has gone on to politicise the vaccines issue away from scientific evaluation; the Russian vaccine has proven effective despite the European attack on companies importing it, and there are European countries that are now using this vaccine through bilateral agreements.

RESPONSE

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation claims about an alleged politicised Western campaign against the Sputnik V vaccine. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.

Contrary to the claim, previous criticisms and mistrust of the Sputnik V vaccine were not due to any alleged politicisation, but to the publication of incomplete or questionable data about it, surrounded by a disinformation campaign about this and other vaccines. Reservations and criticism of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine stemmed from the fact that Russia did not complete large trials to test the vaccine’s safety and efficacy before releasing it. Rolling out an inadequately vetted vaccine could endanger people who receive it.

On February 2, 2021, interim results from a phase 3 trial of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine were finally published in The Lancet. The trial results show a consistent strong protective effect across all participant age groups, meaning that the Sputnik V vaccine candidate appears safe and effective. This is what led to a general change in the approach towards Sputnik V. All vaccines, authorised by the European Medicines Agency are welcome in the EU.

The EMA has initiated a rolling review of the vaccine on the 4 March, 2021, and the decision will be fully decided on a scientific, not political, basis. The EMA is committed to applying the same regulatory approach and scientific rigour to all vaccine applications that meet European requirements for safety, efficacy and quality and is in dialogue with more than 50 vaccine developers from across the globe, including the Sputnik V developers from Russia.

See related disinformation cases alleging that the EMA will try to postpone the authorisation of Sputnik V, that the EMA's delay in approving Sputnik V is political; and that Russian vaccine opponents are trying to eradicate trust in Sputnik V;

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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