Russia's Sputnik V vaccine demonstrated nearly 92% efficacy against symptomatic cases of COVID-19 and provided complete protection against severe cases, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of a large clinical trial published in the medical journal the Lancet. The vaccine also appears to be safe.
Why it matters: This is the strongest evidence to date that the Russian vaccine is one of several highly-effective options in the global mix. Russia is almost entirely dependent on Sputnik V to vaccinate its own population, and over a dozen other countries have purchased doses.
- That number is likely to continue to rise, though Russia has thus far struggled to ramp up its manufacturing capacity.
- Russia hopes to vaccinate 60% of its population by year's end, per WSJ.
Flashback: Vladimir Putin announced in August that the vaccine had been approved despite very limited data, and then in November the state-run Gamaleya Research Institute claimed it was 92% effective, without initially providing supporting data.
- Both announcements were met with a great deal of international skepticism. But those doubts will be at least partially assuaged by the findings released on Tuesday.
Go deeper: The global line for coronavirus vaccines stretches back to 2023
