Brazil Supreme Court Wants Regulator to Explain Refusal to Allow Use of Sputnik V, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court asked the national Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) to explain its decision to refuse to authorize the emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus, media reported.

On Saturday, it was reported that Anvisa had refused to grant Brazilian pharmaceutical company Uniao Quimica authorization for the emergency use of Sputnik V. Anvisa said in a statement that the application, submitted by Uniao Quimica jointly with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), was returned because it does not present the minimum requirements to be subjected to analysis. On Sunday, the state of Bahia applied to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of Anvisa.

The Supreme Court's judge said in a ruling that the regulatory body must provide information within 72 hours to clarify at which stage of consideration the state's request is in, the G1 news outlet reported on late Wednesday.

Uniao Quimica started the production of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in Brazil earlier this month.

RDIF is expected to deliver 10 million doses of Sputnik V to Brazil in the first quarter of 2021, with a total of 150 million doses to be delivered this year.