Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

WHO suspends Sputnik V approval process over 'manufacturing' concerns

WHO suspends Sputnik V approval process over 'manufacturing' concerns

A regional WHO official said one manufacturing plant for the vaccine had failed to meet the necessary standards.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has suspended the approval process for Russia's Sputnik V COVID vaccine.

A regional WHO official said the manufacturing process of the jab had not met the necessary standards.

Russia first applied for approval from the WHO for their vaccine in February but has not yet received an Emergency Use Listing (EUL).

The WHO says they have delayed approving the jab until a new inspection can be carried out at one of the plants where Sputnik V was manufactured.

Research published in The Lancet medical journal shows that the vaccine has 91.6 per cent efficacy against the coronavirus.

On its official Twitter account, Sputnik also claimed on Wednesday that the jab demonstrated 97.2 per cent efficacy during the vaccination campaign in Belarus.

But both the WHO and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have said that they were still waiting for complete data from the vaccine's manufacturers.

Speaking at a press briefing for the Pan American Health Organization, a regional branch of the WHO, Assistant Director Jarbas Barbosa said Russia’s bid for emergency authorisation had been put on hold.

"While inspecting one of the plants where the vaccine is manufactured, they found that this plant was not in agreement with the new best practices of manufacturing," he said on Wednesday.

"The producer [of the vaccine] needs to take this into account and make the necessary changes and be ready for a new inspection."

"The WHO is waiting for the manufacturer to send news that the plant is up to standard," he added.

Previous concerns at Sputnik vaccine


The WHO had previously raised concerns about possible cross-contamination and insufficient during an inspection at Sputnik V manufacturing factory in Ufa.

In June, the company managing the plant -- Pharmstandard -- said in a statement that the WHO interim inspection "did not identify any critical issues".

"We invite WHO for another inspection. We remain fully transparent and will continue with the WHO pre-qualification process."

On Wednesday, Barbosa confirmed that Sputnik V must wait for approval until the new inspection can be carried out.

"Any vaccine manufacturer who wants to be approved by WHO has to submit all information about the quality and manufacturing process," Barbosa said.

"They need to prove that sites, where the vaccines are manufactured, are in agreement with best practices".

Gaining approval from the WHO would be a huge success for Russia, and could also facilitate the travel of millions of vaccinated Russian citizens.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×