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A recent study examining nearly 100 million vaccinated individuals across eight countries reaffirmed the known links between COVID-19 vaccines and certain adverse effects.
According to a report on Hill, conducted by the Global COVID Vaccine Safety project, the study analyzed data from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, New Zealand, and Scotland.
The report focused on adverse events following vaccination with Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines. Researchers monitored 13 specific adverse events, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, Bell’s palsy, convulsions, myocarditis, and pericarditis, occurring within 42 days of vaccination.
The findings revealed a significant increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome cases among those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Additionally, there were higher-than-expected instances of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after the first dose of Moderna's vaccine.
Both Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines showed associations with myocarditis, occurring more frequently than expected after the first, second, and third doses. Moreover, a notable increase in pericarditis cases was observed after the first and fourth doses of Moderna's vaccine.
The researchers emphasized the importance of evaluating safety signals in the context of rarity, severity, and clinical relevance. They urged considering overall risk-benefit evaluations, noting that the risk of adverse events following SARS-CoV-2 infection may be higher than vaccination.
The Global COVID Vaccine Safety project, supported by the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services, conducted the study. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest revealed financial support and relationships with government agencies and biopharmaceutical companies among the researchers.
[With information sourced from Hill]
