09/11/2025 | Eduardo Sant'Anna | THN1

https://www.tnh1.com.br/variedades/quando-a-vacina-contra-o-cancer-da-russia-chega-ao-brasil-checamos/ 

Last week, Russia returned to the spotlight after announcing progress on a colorectal cancer vaccine. The head of the Federal Agency for Medicine and Biology (FMBA), Veronika Skvortsova, stated that the vaccine would be "ready for use" after preclinical tests were considered positive.

The announcement was made during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, but experts from various countries are urging caution. This is because, so far, no studies have been published in scientific journals, which prevents the international medical community from evaluating the data, methodology, and results presented by the Russian government.

What Russia Says
According to Skvortsova, the research lasted "several years," with the last three dedicated to mandatory preclinical testing. Now, the vaccine is reportedly ready to move on to human clinical trials, although a start date has not yet been set.

Brazilian Experts' Position
In Brazil, the Brazilian Society of Clinical Oncology (SBOC) is monitoring the case but warns that there is still no solid scientific basis to consider the vaccine effective and safe.

In a statement, the organization emphasized:

• Without scientific publications, there is no way to confirm the vaccine's efficacy or safety.
• Human clinical trials have not yet begun, and there is no clarity on when they will begin.
• Other cancer vaccines are already in advanced stages in countries like the United States and Germany, following international transparency protocols on platforms like clinicaltrials.gov.
• Scientific rigor is essential; any therapy must undergo phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials before reaching patients.

When will it arrive in Brazil?
The short answer is: there's no timetable yet. Without published data, regulatory approval, or the start of human clinical trials, there's no official timeline for the Russian vaccine to reach the international market, much less Brazil.

For now, the SBOC's recommendation is caution. Scientific advances are always welcome, but they can only be incorporated into clinical practice after they've been proven safe, effective, and transparent.