What do we know about the Pfizer vaccine and heart risks in adolescents

Now that the United States and other countries have started vaccinating adolescents, the report released Tuesday by Israeli scientists on a likely link between the covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BionTech SE and the unusual cases of heart inflammation in young men are certainly concerning. Parents are worried about their children and public health authorities need to take this possibility seriously without causing unfounded panic. But, so far, the data is limited, to the point that there may be no connection. And, to our knowledge, if there is a relationship, it doesn’t sound dangerous.

It’s no surprise that new risks like this emerge. Although the vaccine Pfizer and others underwent rigorous studies before approval, Rare events will also occur when vaccine use increases from the thousands to the millions., and studies that extend its use to children tend to be smaller. What public health leaders are supposed to be able to control is the reaction. With careful and transparent communication about changing data, there is no reason for terrifying headlines to stand in the way of highly effective vaccination campaigns.

Israel finds possible link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis

Israel, which primarily uses the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, first noticed this side effect in April. In findings presented to Israel’s health ministry, an investigative group reported 275 cases of heart inflammation – a condition known as myocarditis – between December and May. Of these, 148 occurred within the first month after vaccination and most occurred relatively soon after the second dose. (To put this figure in context, Israel completed vaccination of about 5 million people during this period.) Events were more common in young men, and almost all cases were mild and resolved quickly. While myocarditis can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, or palpitations, mild cases often only require treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs.

After reviewing the report, Israel’s health ministry said it remained confident in the vaccine’s favorable risk-benefit profile and announced on Wednesday that it would expand its use to young people between the ages of 12 and 15. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is studying the same side effects for the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine as for Moderna Inc., which uses similar technology, and in the meantime, continues to recommend vaccination for adolescents from 12 years of age.

More information is needed. According to an article published in Scientific journal, Israeli report suggests incidence of myocarditis in vaccinated young men is 5-25 times higher than baseline. The CDC is a little less categorical. He envisions a similar trend, but as of May 24, myocarditis cases in those vaccinated are only slightly higher than usual in one of two key safety databases. As the second dose of Pfizer’s vaccine approaches for many young Americans next month, the CDC needs to be vigilant about side effects and keep the public informed.

Europe approved Pfizer’s vaccine for use in children aged 12 and over

Meanwhile, releasing Israel’s full results and more data from other sources would go a long way in assessing a causal relationship.

Side effects in young people deserve special attention because they have a lower risk of poor covid-19 outcomes. However, given the advantages of extensive vaccination in keeping the total number of cases low and the possible long-term effects of the disease, the reasons for limiting vaccinations should be much more limited.

At the very least, a more established link or an increase in cases of myocarditis would require more active guidance and monitoring from clinicians and providers to educate young people and their caregivers of symptoms to watch out for, even if the risks are low. . Yes, it may scare some parents and potential recipients, but it’s best to surprise them with scary symptoms without context. In addition, active surveillance could help determine whether a subset of people are at risk for more severe inflammation and fuel research into whether different dosages or schedules might lessen the effect.

Tuesday’s report won’t be the last report of a new vaccine side effect. Understanding the answer to this question will help build the necessary confidence as the global immunization campaign progresses.