Expert Raises Questions about Announced Vaccine Production in Serbia

Dr Dragoslav Popovic (YouTube screenshot)

Dr. Dragoslav Popovic, a vaccine and immunization consultant, stated on May 17 that one should consider the realism of announcements that Serbia will build a “vaccine factory,” as well as the claims that the Torlak Institute will be filling the vials with Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine against COVID-19.

“I support the growing interest in investing in vaccines, both globally and at home, but one should be very careful, because the situation at the moment is such that the demand is very high, several times higher than normal. Next year, however, the market will quickly revert to its pre-COVID conditions, so one should be careful because, in the long run, the demand for vaccines won’t be as it is today,” Popovic told BETA.

Money and time is needed to start manufacturing vaccines, Popovic added, and this requires long term considerations.

“New technologies have made a giant step in the development of vaccines. But only if we are ready to adopt and work with such technologies will it make sense to participate in this race. If we are not, it will be a failed investment,” Popovic said.

On May 16, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic posted a video to his Instagram account showing plans for the future vaccine production facility in Serbia. He said that this is what a Serbian vaccine manufacturing plant, built together with the country’s UEA and Chinese partners, would look like.

Popovic pointed out that this is just a building, but that what has not been taken into account is that the building’s size and capacity is determined by the technology used, the projected output, the target market, and the investments that the country is ready to make in the long run.