Finland joins Sweden and Denmark in suspending Moderna application for men under 30

Finnish health authorities announced on Thursday that they will suspend the vaccination of men under 30 years with the Moderna coronavirus vaccine due to the risk of heart inflammation, adding to the decision adopted by Sweden and Denmark on Wednesday.

The director of the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), Mika Salminen, stressed at a press conference that Moderna’s drug has a slightly higher risk of developing myocarditis than others. vaccines, according to a recent study in the Nordic countries. .

“Most of these myocarditis are mild and transient and will go away on their own after a few days of follow-up, but there is a risk nonetheless,” said Salminen, who noted that this risk is higher in young men after receiving the second dose.

According to Salminen, the results of the study in Finland are similar to those in the rest of the Nordic countries, although in Finland there were fewer cases of myocarditis than in Norway.

The Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) reported that they have been detected so far six cases of heart inflammation in Finland, where around one million vaccines from the American company Moderna have been administered.

Sweden was the first Nordic country to announce the suspension of Moderna’s vaccine until December 1 for those under 30 before the “very low” risk of myocarditis and pericarditis, according to data from the aforementioned study.

“We are monitoring the situation and acting quickly to ensure that the vaccines are as safe as possible and provide effective protection against COVID-19,” Anders Tegnell, chief epidemiologist at the Swedish Public Health Agency, said in a statement.

The Danish Directorate General for Health has called for the “precaution” to suspend the use of Moderna in those under 18, although it stressed that no cases had been detected in this country.

“In Denmark, until now, young people aged 12 to 17 were invited to receive the Pfizer vaccine. As a precaution, we will now only provide this preparation,” said a statement.

Norway was already only using the Pfizer vaccine for all minors, but will now extend the recommendation to every under 30.

Provisional data from the study by the Nordic health authorities were sent to the European Medicines Agency to study.

Denmark was already the first country to suspend the AstraZeneza vaccine from its official vaccination schedule, followed by that of Johnson & Johnson, which could nevertheless be received on a voluntary basis, while Norway subsequently adopted a similar measure.

Source: EFE