UAE Authorises Emergency Use of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Against COVID-19

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Arab Emirates authorized emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) confirmed on Thursday, noting that Phase III clinical trials were still ongoing in the UAE.

Earlier in the day, the UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority announced that it approved the Russian vaccine for emergency use.

"The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) has authorized the use of Russian Sputnik V vaccine in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccine was registered under the emergency use authorization procedure based on the results of the Russian Phase III clinical trials which included over 33,000 subjects. Moreover, local Phase III clinical trials of Sputnik V in the UAE are ongoing under the supervision of the MOHAP and Department of Health of Abu Dhabi with 1,000 volunteers already enrolled into the study," RDIF said in a press release.

RDIF chief Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the UAE health authorities' approval of the Russian vaccine.

"We strive to help people of UAE to get access to a safe and effective Russian vaccine against coronavirus based on a proven and well-researched platform of human adenoviral vectors. The decision to include Sputnik V in UAE’s national vaccine portfolio is an important step towards protecting the population with one of the best vaccines against coronavirus in the world," Dmitriev said, as quoted in the press release.