Russia approved a coronavirus vaccine before confirming it was safe and effective. Experts say the nation’s risky bet paid off.

Russia approved a coronavirus vaccine before confirming it was safe and effective. Experts say the nation’s risky bet paid off.

Russia became the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine in August and start distributing shots in early December. Now it has some reliable data that those vaccines may be about as effective as those authorized for emergency use in the US and UK.

Unlike the US or UK, Russia approved its vaccine “” called Sputnik V “” before conducting phase 3 trials. These late-stage trials typically evaluate a medical treatment in tens of thousands of people to determine how well it works, ensure that it's safe, and uncover any side effects.

When Russia approved Sputnik V for distribution, only 38 people had received the vaccine in clinical trials. All of them produced antibodies, and side effects were mostly mild “” including elevated temperatures and headaches. That research had not undergone peer review, though.

As Sputnik V was distributed to frontline healthcare workers in December, medical experts warned that the data was insufficient to determine whether the vaccine was safe and effective. Some scientists suggested that the vaccine approval may have been rushed for political reasons.

But Russia's risk seems to be paying off. An interim analysis of phase 3 trials published in The Lancet on Tuesday suggests that Sputnik V is 91.6% effective