Philippines' Duterte says will be Russia vaccine 'guinea pig' as talks begin

File handout picture provided by the Russian Direct Investment Fund shows the vaccine against Covid-19, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. - AFP

MANILA (AFP): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will be a guinea pig for a controversial Russian coronavirus vaccine, his spokesman said on Wednesday (Aug 12), as the Southeast Asian nation emerged as a frontrunner for overseas clinical trials.

Moscow says it has developed the world's first vaccine offering "sustainable immunity" against the virus and is in the final stage of tests involving 2,000 people.