U.S. Says Russia Peddled Lies About Western Covid Vaccines
The EU is warning some of its member states to be wary of Russia's Sputnik covid vaccine, and U.S. officials warn Russia has been sharing disinformation about Western versions, as vaccination efforts step up across the globe.
The Wall Street Journal:
Russian Disinformation Campaign Aims To Undermine Confidence In Pfizer, Other Covid-19 Vaccines, U.S. Officials Say
Russian intelligence agencies have mounted a campaign to undermine confidence in Pfizer Inc.’s and other Western vaccines, using online publications that in recent months have questioned the vaccines’ development and safety, U.S. officials said. An official with the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, which monitors foreign disinformation efforts, identified four publications that he said have served as fronts for Russian intelligence. The websites played up the vaccines’ risk of side effects, questioned their efficacy, and said the U.S. had rushed the Pfizer vaccine through the approval process, among other false or misleading claims. (Gordon and Volz, 3/7)
The Washington Post:
E.U. Medical Official Urges Caution Over Some States’ Preliminary Approval Of Russia’S Sputnik V
A top medical official with the European Union cautioned against some member states’ approval of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine ahead of the bloc’s own official review process. Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, head of the European Medicines Agency’s managing board, told Austrian television that the review of the vaccine began March 4 and data packages were arriving from the manufacturer. With vaccines in short supply across the continent, however, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have moved to approve it unilaterally. (Noack and Schemm, 3/8)
AP:
Russia Scores Points With Vaccine Diplomacy, But Snags Arise
Russia’s boast in August that it was the first country to authorize a coronavirus vaccine led to skepticism at the time because of its insufficient testing. Six months later, as demand for the Sputnik V vaccine grows, experts are raising questions again — this time, over whether Moscow can keep up with all the orders from the countries that want it. Slovakia got 200,000 doses on March 1, even though the European Medicines Agency, the European Union’s pharmaceutical regulator, only began reviewing its use on Thursday in an expedited process. The president of the hard-hit Czech Republic said he wrote directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin to get a supply. Millions of doses are expected by countries in Latin America, Africa, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East in a wave of Russian vaccine diplomacy. (Litvinova, 3/7)
In other global developments —
AP:
Canada Clears Johnson & Johnson Vaccine, First To Approve 4
Canada is getting a fourth vaccine to prevent COVID-19 as the country’s health regulator has cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose instead of two, officials said Friday. Health experts are eager for a one-and-done option to help speed vaccination. Canada has also approved vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca and Health Canada is the first major regulator to approve four different vaccines, said Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s chief medical adviser. (Gillies, 3/5)
Axios:
Dalai Lama Receives Coronavirus Vaccine
The Dalai Lama received his first dose of coronavirus vaccine on Saturday in a hospital in northern India, AP reports. The 85-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader urged others to follow his example and get vaccinated. Ten other people who live in the Dalai Lama’s residence also got a dose of the vaccine. (Knutson, 3/6)
AP:
3,000 At Romania Anti-Vaccination Protest Amid COVID-19 Rise
Around 3,000 anti-vaccination protesters from across Romania converged outside the parliament building in Bucharest on Sunday as authorities announced new restrictions amid a rise of COVID-19 infections. It has been less than six weeks since COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed in Bucharest, but rising infections have prompted authorities to reimpose tighter restrictions for a 14-day period effective as of Monday. (McGrath, 3/7)
CIDRAP:
Officials To Explore COVID Vaccine Supply Gaps, Boosting Production
Though deliveries of COVAX vaccine started at a brisk pace this week, with developed countries ramping up their programs, the demand far exceeds the supply, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today. At a briefing today, WHO officials said they and their partners will hold a global summit on Mar 8 and 9 to look at gaps in the supply chain and examine ways to boost production. Also, officials raised concerns about a COVID-19 surge in Brazil, where the P1 variant is dominant. (Schnirring, 3/5)
The Washington Post:
Israel Opens Up — But Only To The Vaccinated
Israel, which has partially vaccinated more than half of its population and 90 percent of people 50-years of age and older, threw open much of its economy Sunday for those who have received their shots. Those who have yet to be inoculated, or who are not eligible because they are under 16, still have restrictions to contend with. (Hendrix, 3/8)
Also —
Stat:
European Commission Probes Teva For Allegedly Using Patents To Thwart Competition
In its latest bid to ensure competition among drug makers, the European Commission has opened a formal investigation into whether Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) illegally prevented rival companies from introducing versions of a top-selling medicine. The probe is focused on two issues. The first is whether Teva used various patent maneuvers to thwart generic manufacturers from being able to market copycat versions of the Copaxone multiple sclerosis treatment. The EC also wants to determine if the drug maker ran a campaign directed at hospitals and doctors to create “false perceptions” of similar multiple sclerosis medicines. (Silverman, 3/5)