Neighbouring South Africa earlier this week said it would not approve Sputnik V due to concerns it could increase the risk of HIV infection among men, a claim the vaccine's developer says is unfounded. Namibia had taken delivery of a Serbian donation of 30,000 Sputnik doses -- out of which less than 120 have been administered so far. The regulator said two previous studies, one in South Africa and one in the Americas, found a heightened risk of HIV infection among men linked to the Ad5-vectored vaccine. In both trials, "administration of an Ad5-vectored vaccine was associated with enhanced susceptibility/acquisition of HIV in men", the regulator said last week. Russia's Gamaleya Centre, which developed Sputnik V, says any allegation of a link between the vaccine and HIV is unfounded.

Source: Indian Express October 24, 2021 17:37 UTC