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Europe investigates other possible side effects of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines: what are they

2021-08-12T13:41:26.064Z


They are isolated cases of erythema multiforme, glomerulonephritis, and nephrotic syndrome. We explain.


The vanguard

08/12/2021 10:27

  • Clarín.com

  • World

Updated 08/12/2021 10:27

The Safety Committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is investigating three possible new adverse effects of mRNA vaccines against covid, that is, those developed by the American laboratories Pfizer and Moderna.

Specifically, as detailed by the European regulatory body in vaccine safety update documents, it is

erythema multiforme, glomerulonephritis and nephrotic syndrome

.

All are effects that were recorded in "very few cases", and many of them in people who had a previous disease, the experts clarified.

The EMA and medical associations around the world still insist that

the benefits of the Covid vaccines that are being applied now far outweigh the eventual risks

and call on the population to apply the injections.

The "new" effects

Erythema multiforme is an allergic hypersensitivity reaction with characteristic round skin lesions that can also affect the mucous membranes of the internal cavities of the body.

Despite the possible specific adverse effects, experts call for vaccinating against the coronavirus as soon as possible.

Photo: REUTERS

The EMA recorded "a small number of cases" reported after vaccination with Pfizer and Moderna.

"More data and analysis were requested from the marketing authorization holder to support the ongoing evaluation of the PRAC (the acronym for the EMA Safety Committee)," explains the European regulatory body.

At the same time, an evaluation was started for

glomerulonephritis

(inflammation of the tiny filters of the kidneys) and

nephrotic syndrome

(a kidney disorder that causes the kidneys to lose too much protein in the urine) to determine if they may be side effects of these two. vaccines.

According to the EMA, affected patients may present with bloody or foamy urine, edema (swelling of the eyelids, feet or abdomen) or fatigue.

The experts clarified that these effects were recorded in "a small number of cases" reported after vaccination with Pfizer and Moderna, including some in which patients experienced a relapse of

pre-existing kidney disease

.

Therefore,

more data and analysis were

also

requested from the companies

to continue with the evaluation.

Thrombi and other adverse effects

Not only the American vaccines caused in specific cases some side effects.

Months ago, patients with serum-linked thrombi were registered from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford.

In March of this year,

suspicions

arose

about possible serious, albeit rare

,

side effects

among people vaccinated with AstraZeneca.

They were cases of atypical thrombosis, and a few even caused death.


After some cases reported in Europe, the EMA conducted an investigation and clarified in April that the presence of blood clots with low platelets should be considered an

"unusual" side effect

of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The experts examined several dozen cases mainly from Great Britain, where millions of people had already received the vaccine.

Atypical cases

"Reported cases of unusual blood clotting after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine should be listed as possible side effects of the vaccine," Emer Cooke, the agency's executive director, said at the time.

But he clarified: "The risk of mortality from Covid is much greater than the risk of mortality from these side effects."

The problems seen in some people vaccinated with AstraZeneca were not common thrombi (blood clots), as originally reported, but

a "very atypical" phenomenon,

the French Medicines Agency (ANSM) stressed.

It is about "thrombosis of the large veins, atypical due to their location (mostly cerebral, but also digestive), which may be associated with thrombocytopenia (a deficiency of blood platelets) or coagulation problems", such as bleeding, according to the ANSM.

As a precaution, several countries decided to stop administering this vaccine to some age groups, especially those under 60, including France, Germany and Canada. 


Infertility and "fake news"

In addition, experts in Europe clarified that there is no relationship between vaccines against the coronavirus and infertility, as claimed by some "anti-vaccine" groups that launched a series of alarming messages on social networks.

"In an unequivocal way, we can affirm that there is no association between vaccines against covid-19 and presumed infertility", emphasizes Juan Martínez Hernández, member of the advisory commission on this disease of the Spanish Collegiate Medical Organization (WTO).

To do this, he argues that neither messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines -such as those from Pfizer and Moderna-, nor those for viral vectors -such as those from AstraZeneca and Janssen- contain elements that can act in this way in the human body.

Experts around the world assure that the benefits of Covid vaccines outweigh the eventual adverse effects.

Photo: REUTERS

In the UK, the Association of Clinical and Reproductive Scientists and the British Fertility Society jointly published an information guide stating that "there is absolutely no evidence, or any theoretical reason, that neither vaccine can affect fertility of women or men ".

Among the investigations carried out, a study prepared by the University of Miami and published on June 17 by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) stands out.

It concludes that Pfizer or Moderna vaccines

are "safe for

male

reproduction

" and do not have a negative impact on male fertility.

On the other hand, as the EMA explained last week, no causal association between covid vaccines and menstrual disorders was found "so far".

The European regulatory body highlights that menstrual disorders are "very common and can occur without an underlying medical condition."

Effectiveness

Studies carried out on all available vaccines so far have shown high efficacy, which can range from 60% to more than 90%, depending on the brands.

But there is consensus in the international scientific community that

a massive inoculation is the only way to stop the pandemic

and place a barrier to new variants such as Delta and others that could appear in the future.

For this reason, in several countries vaccination passports are already being used to gain access to certain places, and some governments are considering requiring the injection to carry out certain activities or jobs.

In the United States, for example, the Executive of Joe Biden decided that where all government employees must be vaccinated or present periodic tests to show that they do not have the virus.

Source: La Vanguardia and agencies

CB

Look also

War on the Delta variant in Italy: young people get mass vaccinated before going back to school

Large US companies begin to demand the coronavirus vaccine from their workers

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2021-08-12

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