Moderna's Award At World Vaccine Congress Politically Motivated - Head Of Gamaleya Center

The decision to recognize Moderna coronavirus vaccine as the best at the World Vaccine Congress was politically and economically motivated, Alexander Gintsburg, the director of Russia's Gamaleya Research Center, told Sputnik on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) The decision to recognize Moderna coronavirus vaccine as the best at the World Vaccine Congress was politically and economically motivated, Alexander Gintsburg, the director of Russia's Gamaleya Research Center, told Sputnik on Thursday.

Sputnik V vaccine, which was developed by Gamaleya center, was among other vaccines considered for the award.

"I would say that this decision is based on the politics and the economy.

Roughly $100 billion is at stake here. Recognizing Sputnik V would mean giving the money to Russia, and the congress was in Washington," Gintsburg said.

Moderna vaccine was recognized as the best "despite the obvious fact that the number of deaths [per 100,000] caused by RNA-based vaccines [such as Moderna] far exceeds the number of AstraZeneca-caused deaths," Gintsburg said.

Moderna vaccine is based on messenger RNA, while Sputnik V and AstraZeneca's shot are both viral vector vaccines.