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Spahn wants to negotiate bilateral Sputnik orders with Russia

2021-04-08T08:28:30.895Z


The Russian vaccine Sputnik V has not yet been approved in the EU. Health Minister Spahn has now announced bilateral talks with Moscow about possible deliveries of the vaccine.


Enlarge image

Everyone looks at this vaccine: A man in Moscow receives a dose of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V in front of a photographer

Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP

The European Union is currently not planning a preliminary contract for the Russian vaccine Sputnik V - unlike previously with the other vaccine providers.

Now Germany may want to negotiate a contract for the purchase of the vaccine on its own initiative.

Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) announced this in the WDR5 “Morgenecho”.

Accordingly, he is planning bilateral talks with Russia about possible deliveries of Sputnik V in the event of EU approval.

You have to be very careful that this does not turn into a "Fata Morgana debate," said Spahn.

First of all, it is about approval by the EU.

"Russia has to provide data for this." As long as this does not happen, there can be no approval.

The second question is then the order, said Spahn.

The EU Commission stated on Wednesday evening that it would not conclude contracts with Sputnik V as it would with other manufacturers such as Biontech.

"Thereupon I also declared in the EU Health Council for Germany that we would then also talk bilaterally with Russia, first of all about when and which quantities could come," said Spahn.

There are no binding commitments from Moscow

"To really make a difference in our current situation, the delivery would have to come in the next two to four or five months - otherwise we have more than enough vaccine one way or another." In this respect, he expects binding statements from Russia on "when." which amount could actually reach Germany after approval «.

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff welcomes the plan to buy the Russian corona vaccine Sputnik V. "This is the right way, I welcome the federal government's approach," said the CDU politician to the Reuters news agency.

"I have always said that either the EU or the federal government should lead the way here," said Haseloff.

In Germany, the federal government is responsible for procuring vaccines.

The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, said in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin” that the published data on Sputnik V “look very good”, but he does not know what additional data the EU Medicines Agency EMA has.

"If the vaccine is tested and approved, I personally have no objection to it."

Dispute over vaccination competition

About the preliminary contract for bilateral Sputnik procurement announced by Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), he said: "I am not so convinced that this should be planned again as a Bavarian solo effort, if that is the case." Söder had tried to get the first doses on Wednesday.

"If Sputnik is approved in Europe, then the Free State of Bavaria will receive additional vaccination doses through this company - I think there are 2.5 million vaccination doses - probably in July in order to increase the additional vaccination capacities in Bavaria," said the CSU Politician in Munich.

The process had also caused a lack of understanding in politics.

According to Spahn, the AstraZeneca vaccine will continue to not be used in Germany in people under 60 years of age.

"We're sticking to the recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Committee," he said.

The EU medicines authority EMA continued to give the unreserved green light for the use of the vaccine on Wednesday despite very rare cases of blood clots in the cerebral veins of younger people.

The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) in Germany, on the other hand, only recommended AstraZeneca for people aged 60 and over.

"If we only had AstraZeneca as a vaccine and no alternative for those under 60 years of age, then when we weighed up - what is the recommendation - we might come to a different conclusion," said Spahn.

But since there are alternative vaccines, out of caution one can stick to the recommendation not to use AstraZeneca in younger people.

The chairman of the Standing Vaccination Commission, Thomas Mertens, argued in a similar way in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”.

mrc / dpa / Reuters

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2021-04-08

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