South Africa | Sputnik V
South Africa rejects Russian made Sputnik V amid fears of HIV among men
Johannesburg/IBNS: South Africa's health regulator on Monday said it would not approve Russia's Sputnik V amid concerns that the Covid-19 vaccine could increase the risk of HIV infection among men.
"Use of the Sputnik V vaccine in South Africa, a setting of a high HIV prevalence and incidence, may increase the risk of vaccinated males acquiring HIV," the South African Health Product Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said in a statement, available with media.
"The rolling review of the Sputnik V vaccine will, however, remain open for submission of relevant safety data in support of the application," it added.
Russia's Gamaleya Centre, which developed Sputnik V, stated it would bring to fore that SAHPRA's concerns were "completely unfounded".
"Speculation regarding the association between adenovirus type-5 vectored vaccines and HIV transmission in high risk groups has been based on small-scale studies," it said in a statement.
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