The Senate approved a provisional measure this Thursday (4) that authorizes the entry of Brazil into the World Health Organization's Covax Facility consortium. This will stimulate vaccine development and make vaccines against the novel coronavirus available .
The measure also relaxes the rules for granting authorization for emergency use of vaccines against Covid-19 by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency). The agency will have a period of five days to grant authorization for vaccines already approved in other countries.
The measure will allow the rapid approval for the Sputnik V vaccine, from the Gamaleya institute. The federal government is betting on the Russian vaccine.
The makers of the Sputnik V vaccine are lobbying politicians to pressure Anvisa to approve the vaccine's emergency use. The agency's directors are being pressured from all sides.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon