[ad_1]
Over the past year and a half, immunocompromised people have been at extremely high risk of contracting the virus. And for many, the COVID vaccine hasn’t changed that.
This is why a group of independent experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at a meeting on Thursday broadly expressed support for allowing people with compromised immune systems to talk to their doctors about the possibility of receiving a third injection. , a booster, which could increase their antibody response to vaccines.
But the advisory committee did not make a formal recommendation, saying more data was needed and, ultimately, regulatory allocation from the Food and Drug Administration.
About 2.7% of U.S. adults are considered immunocompromised, an umbrella category that includes cancer patients, transplant recipients, people living with HIV, and patients on high-dose steroids.
“We aspire to a fuller life,” said Phil Canudo, a kidney transplant recipient from Akron, Ohio, who told the CDC advisory committee on Thursday that he had no antibody response after two injections of Pfizer. .
“I can’t wait to see my stepdaughter’s new home in Colorado,” he said, choking. “I want to eat a rare steak at the Diamond Grill.”
Canudo, who spoke to the CDC’s advisory committee during the public comment period, said he was told he must always behave as if he is not vaccinated.
“I urge you, even beg you, to recommend that we may receive a third dose of the vaccine,” he said. “The advantage could open the world up to us again.”
At the same time, the pressure is mounting as other countries, including France and Israel, have already approved boosters for those who are immunocompromised. In the United States, the debate over booster injections for the general public has intensified as the delta variant wreaks havoc.
Data presented at the meeting indicated that a booster could increase antibodies by up to 50% in an immunocompromised person.
Dr Sara Oliver, CDC epidemiologist who presented the results, also explained how immunocompromised people are a priority group for booster research, as they are at greater risk of serious consequences from COVID.
For example, in an American study, 44% of hospitalized rupture cases were immunocompromised. An Israeli study found it to be around 40%. The groundbreaking cases, which are expected, refer to people who test positive for COVID-19 while they are fully vaccinated. Vaccines are very effective against serious illness and hospitalization, but people can develop mild or asymptomatic illness even when they are vaccinated.
“We want to vaccinate. Throughout this conference, we have been saying, vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate,” said panel member Dr Pablo Sanchez. “These people want to get vaccinated, they don’t hesitate to get vaccinated. And it seems to me that we should be promoting that.”
He argued that the FDA should “at least allow it while we get more data” because “we really need to help this population more.” Patients could end up taking matters into their own hands, Sanchez said.
Phil, from Akron, said he plans to do just that.
“Hundreds of us lie to pharmacies and vaccination sites about our previous vaccinations, trying to get an unauthorized extra dose,” he told the committee. “I know that is what I will do if additional doses are not allowed.”
Another ACIP member, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, American Medical Association Liaison Officer, pointed out that there are currently millions of excess vaccine doses that are not being exploited in the United States.
At the same time, there are immunocompromised patients who do “all they can” and who are still unprotected.
“I really share the concerns expressed by our ACIP members about, you know, our patients, right now they’re immunocompromised, doing all they can by getting vaccinated, getting their contacts vaccinated. loved ones, and it is not enough that they are still not protected, ”said Fryhofer.
Work to assess additional studies is underway and the next step would be for the FDA to issue regulatory guidelines.
[ad_2]
Source link