Chile approves emergency use of Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine

SANTIAGO, July 21 (Reuters) - Chile's Institute of Public Health approved emergency use of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine against COVID-19, joining the country's already massive inoculation program, the institute said in a statement.

One of the institute's experts voted against the approval, and two abstained, asking for more information about the efficacy of the formula developed by Russia's Gamaleya Institute. Five members of the committee convened by the institute voted for approval.

"We have approved the Sputnik-V vaccine to be used in Chile," institute President Heriberto Garcia said in the statement. The committee evaluated data from Chile as well as Mexico and Argentina, where the Russian vaccine is also applied, he said.

Garcia said no major adverse effects from Sputnik-V had been observed. To date the country has given more than 13 million of its 19 million inhabitants at least one vaccine dose from an arsenal that includes Pfizer, Sinovac and AstraZeneca.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Richard Chang)