Chief Of Russia's Prominent Virology Center In Siberia Fired Over 'Conflicts Of Interest'

The chief of Vektor, one of Russia's leading virology centers, has been fired over "conflicts of interest" and "losing trust." Russia's consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on May 17 that Rinat Maksyutov had been fired a day earlier. Rospotrebnadzor did not elaborate on the decision. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Vektor created the EpiVacCorona vaccine that became the second COVID vaccine officially registered in Russia after Sputnik V. In January 2021, the Health Ministry suspended the purchase of the EpiVacCorona amid widespread criticism of the vaccine by experts who said it was inefficient. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.