Painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol are supposed to alleviate symptoms after the corona vaccination.
However, when it is taken is crucial for vaccination protection.
Flu-like symptoms can occur as a
vaccination reaction
after a
corona vaccination
.
As a countermeasure, many use
pain relievers
such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.
But if the body's immune response is suppressed,
vaccination protection
can also be
at risk.
Fever, body aches, the so-called Covid arm - a
vaccination
against the
coronavirus
can have unpleasant side effects, regardless of which vaccine was inoculated.
Reaching for a
pain reliever
such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to combat or even prevent such complaints is obvious.
The
Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
even suggested taking paracetamol for fever and pain after vaccination in an information sheet on vaccination (January 11, 2021).
But as it now suggests, taking painkillers too early could compromise vaccination protection.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver are currently
investigating
the question of whether
painkillers should be taken
against a vaccine reaction to the
corona vaccination
at all.
Based on data on side effects and "given the availability of over-the-counter febrile drugs, it is expected that potentially millions around the world will use them to moderate acute systemic side effects associated with COVID-19 vaccination," the researchers write in a form that soon to appear in the journal "Chest".
Painkillers after the corona vaccination can reduce the effect
Why could that be problematic?
Some studies - but not all, the researchers emphasize - indicate that
pain relievers
, if taken before or immediately after a vaccination, could reduce vaccination protection.
Because they can suppress the natural vaccination reaction, which can be expressed, for example, by a fever.
The health portal "aponet.de" writes, "A suppressed immune reaction could theoretically reduce the formation of antibodies and thus the effect of the vaccination." This also applies not only to
corona vaccinations
, but also to vaccinations against other diseases.
A study from the specialist magazine "The Lancet" showed that taking paracetamol to prevent side effects when vaccinating a cohort of children reduces the antibody titre.
A study from 2014 also shows for adults that administration of paracetamol at least six hours after vaccination had no influence on the immune response, while administration immediately after vaccination weakened it.
Especially for the
corona vaccines
from
Biontech
,
Moderna
and
AstraZeneca
, however, it has not yet been investigated what effects preventive
painkillers can have
on immunization.
Astrazeneca and Co: No data on pain killers from vaccine manufacturers
A study on the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has just been suspended, mentions that the prophylactic administration of
paracetamol
does not impair immunogenicity - i.e. the ability of the vaccine to trigger an immune reaction in the body.
However, no data has been published, the researchers in Canada note.
In addition, it is not certain whether the results can also be applied to vaccines of the mRNA type such as
Biontech
and
Moderna
.
AstraZeneca is a vector vaccine.
No data on the use of febrile drugs had been published at Moderna, Biontech and Pfizer had merely mentioned that the use of febrile drugs rose with increasing dosage and number of doses.
Nothing was disclosed about immunogenicity.
Regardless of the
corona pandemic
, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend
not
taking painkillers
before or shortly after a
vaccination
.
They could only be taken in the days after the vaccination to combat side effects.
(Ines Alberti)