OREANDA-NEWS. Mutual recognition of coronavirus vaccines by countries is a matter of this year, said Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

"Mutual recognition of vaccines is a question of this year. And it will be connected with the fact that after all, countries will understand that it is impossible to constantly follow the lead of the" big pharma "companies, which are trying to restrict other vaccines," he said on Friday at the session marathon "New knowledge".

"There is no doubt that in the near future vaccines will be adopted in various countries, and they will be interchangeable," added Dmitriev.

In addition, the head of the RDIF Dmitriev called the volume of investments in the creation of vaccines against coronavirus. The Russian direct investment fund has invested 22 billion rubles in the Sputnik coronavirus vaccine, including 17 billion rubles in Sputnik Light, the fund said.

"What RDIF has done in order to convince a large number of countries that Sputnik is one of the safest and most effective vaccines, and RDIF has invested 22 billion rubles in this work, taking the risk," said the head Kirill Dmitriev Foundation at the EEF session.

"Our further strategy in the future is to use the Sputnik Light vaccine, in which RDIF has invested 17 billion rubles, in order not only to provide revaccination of Russians, not only to use it as an independent vaccine, but also to use it as a booster," he added he.

The press service of the RDIF explained that the investment in the amount of 22 billion rubles includes investments in Sputnik Light in the amount of 17 billion rubles.