Drugs regulator chief says she has discussed vaccine approval with new minister

The director of the State Institute for Drug Control, Irena Storová, says she has spoken about the process of approving vaccines with Petr Arenberger, the new minister of health. Speaking on Czech Radio on Thursday, Ms. Storová said that she had explained the rules for approving clinical trials in a brief consultation with the minister, who was appointed on Wednesday.

While the State Institute for Drug Control is opposed to using Russia’s Sputnik V without EU approval, Mr. Arenberger says a large group of people in the Czech Republic would like to use it and has suggested clinical trials of the vaccine could be held in this country.

Critics say the new minister was installed because of his relatively warm stance toward Sputnik V.