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This is the first known case of an allergic reaction to a Moderna coronavirus vaccine, although at least six similar cases have been reported in the United States associated with the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine.
“After getting the vaccine, I felt tachycardic, but I felt it was probably anxiety because I was scared after learning about the reactions from Pfizer in the US, especially with those people who have a shellfish allergy, like me,” explained Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh. to CNN. Tachycardia is a medical term that means a fast or irregular heartbeat.
After having his vital signs checked, Sadrzadeh realized that his heart rate had skyrocketed.
“My heart rate was 150, my normal heart rate is 75 but … six, seven minutes after injecting the vaccine, I felt on my tongue and also in my throat to have, like, a strange sensation of tingling and numbness, It’s the same reaction I had before to my shellfish allergy, “Sadrzadeh said.
Sadrzadeh said his blood pressure dropped so low that it was not even detectable with a monitor. That’s when he decided to use his EpiPen, and then the staff rushed him to the emergency room, which was just a couple of minutes from the room he was in after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.
Sadrzadeh was monitored for four more hours after his allergic reaction and was able to drive home after that. He says the medical center staff “responded exceptionally well.” The Boston Medical Center was unable to provide additional details, but confirmed that the incident involved Sadrzadeh.
“The main concern for me as a human being and as a doctor … I have to spread the word to people … People should carry the EpiPen with them if they have allergic reactions,” Sadrzadeh said, urging Moderna to investigate further. .
Ray Jordan, a spokesman for the biotech company, told CNN: “Moderna cannot confirm the incident, but reported the possible adverse event through its internal security reporting system and Moderna is investigating the incident further.”
It is still unknown which ingredient in coronavirus vaccines may be causing a severe allergic reaction in some people. Dr. Peter Marks, who heads the FDA’s Center for Biological Research and Evaluation, said in a briefing last week that the agency is investigating a compound known as polyethylene glycol (PEG), as well as four other possible ingredients in the formulation. .
“It is known that one of the components that is present in both vaccines, polyethylene glycol, can be uncommonly associated with allergic reactions,” Marks said. Polyethylene glycol is a compound that appears in various pharmaceutical products, including some laxatives and intestinal preparations. “That could be a culprit here. And that’s why we will be watching very closely as we see the implementation of the Moderna vaccine,” he said.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told a town hall Thursday that adverse reactions to the vaccine were “very rare” in clinical trials. He noted that now that the vaccine is distributed to millions of people, adverse events are inevitable. He added that these incidents should not prevent people from getting vaccinated, especially those with pre-existing conditions that put them at risk for severe Covid-19.
On Wednesday, Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific advisor for Operation Warp Speed, said there are discussions between vaccine manufacturers and the National Institutes of Health to consider conducting clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines in highly allergic populations, such as those with to carry an EpiPen with them at all times. He said a trial could help understand the rate of allergic reactions and what is causing them.
He had previously told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the key is to be aware that allergic reactions can occur.
“If you prepare, these are the types of events you can deal with,” Slaoui said. “And we will continue to try to understand what is in the vaccine that induces this, if there is something specific that induces it.”
