MHRA approves Pfizer jab for use in UK

[AuntieStella]

News just breaking on BBC

Loving the comments about the MHRA being completely independent
TBF, in principle it's so - even though they get government funding - but does anyone really imagine there's been no political pressure to get this authorised??

Mustn't complain though; after all Hancock assured us a while ago that there'd be absolutely no such pressure brought to bear, so of course it must be true

So we are rolling out a vaccine next week that neither the US or Europe has approved, but it seems that anyone voicing any doubts about this are (on this board) being labelled selfish 'anti vaxxers'. The European Medicines Agency has criticised the hasty approval so I guess they are 'anti vaxxers' too according to some. After the shit show of handling this pandemic I have no faith or confidence in this government to be doing the best thing for us and frankly I wish I lived in a different country.

@Cosmodian

So we are rolling out a vaccine next week that neither the US or Europe has approved, but it seems that anyone voicing any doubts about this are (on this board) being labelled selfish 'anti vaxxers'. The European Medicines Agency has criticised the hasty approval so I guess they are 'anti vaxxers' too according to some. After the shit show of handling this pandemic I have no faith or confidence in this government to be doing the best thing for us and frankly I wish I lived in a different country.

I bet, can you look into it? You don’t have to have it though.

SM posts from the anti vaxxers are hysterical - take a look if you are bored.

@AuntieStella

I think the default stance is caution when it comes to pregnancy

It is, but there's no scientific reason to wait two months following a vaccine exposure.

@Pomegranatespompom

SM posts from the anti vaxxers are hysterical - take a look if you are bored.

Pom come and rejoice on the so fkn happy thread. Honestly people don’t know a good thing and prefer lockdown. Leave em to it I say.

From the BBC: "Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for emergency legislation to fine social media firms who failed to clamp down on incorrect information"
"Mr Johnson agreed online "anti-vaxxers" were a problem and promised a plan to deal with them "very shortly""

I sort of get the rationale here - after all, SM hyperbole has contributed to us being in this mess in the first place - but isn't this a bit worrying?

There's sometimes a fine line between "disinformation" and "what they'd rather wasn't revealed", and given the number of deceits we've had already I'm not sure this is a positive development

Ditto the insults flung at medics who dare to break from the script on this. We all hope nothing goes wrong, but aren't these the very people folk would blame for "not speaking up" if it did?

GwendolineMarysLaces - yes, I realise that it is very cautious, as will always be the case in an SmPC where the product has not been tested in pregnant women, but I am still concerned that women may not be fully informed of the facts at the point of vaccination. I am pro-vaccination and trust the MHRA’s professional opinion regarding this (although I have no trust in the current government) and so think that today’s news is good, just that we need to proceed with caution where there is any uncertainty.

I think that EMA’s statement is to head off criticism/political. Strictly, until the 31/12/20, it would have still been expected for it to be authorised by the EMA for the UK market but the MHRA have licensed it separately to try to approve it sooner, so the MHRA and its assessors will have been working extra hard to make that happen. As iVampire has said, there is unlikely to have been a divergence of standards between the EU and the UK this early, as they will have been working as one organisation until now. Also, in reality, most people in the UK will not receive the vaccination ahead of those in the EU, so by then it will have been subject to the EMA’s assessment process too.

@Cosmodian

So we are rolling out a vaccine next week that neither the US or Europe has approved, but it seems that anyone voicing any doubts about this are (on this board) being labelled selfish 'anti vaxxers'. The European Medicines Agency has criticised the hasty approval so I guess they are 'anti vaxxers' too according to some. After the shit show of handling this pandemic I have no faith or confidence in this government to be doing the best thing for us and frankly I wish I lived in a different country.

Will you feel more confident once the FDA and EMA approve it? It seems very likely that both will before the end of the month.

@MarshaBradyo I’ll look I’m done with doom and gloom.

@BinkyBoinky

Is there a full ingredients list for the vaccine? Along with many people I'm allergic to certain vaccines (can't have flu jab) so I'd need to know what's in it before I even consider it.

I haven't found one - but it's inconceivable that full ingredients will not be included in the pack information insert, and that will also be published online

Just thought I’d pop on before signing off for the night.

I’ve followed this thread over the course of the day where I’ve had the odd minute and I’m really disappointed with all the “anti vaxxer” comments. I’m not an anti vaxxer in the slightest - I’ve had all the recommended ones up until now. I’m just wary of this vaccine because:

1. MRNA vaccines have not been approved for use before (outside of clinical trials)
2. We don’t know if this vaccine stops you getting the virus, just that it lessens the symptoms in some cases (so I’ve decided at this stage the benefit is not worth the risk for me)
3. I understand why this vaccine has been developed in record time (unlimited funding, and the brainiest brains working collectively etc.) but none of that replaces time. At this stage we just don’t know what the long term side effects are. Hope there won’t be any serious ones, but the fact remains we don’t know. This trial isn’t even scheduled to end until 2023.

I really, really hope I’m being overly cautious.

And as to the assertion that people are lying about knowing NHS employees who don’t want the vaccine - have a read of the survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which found 37% of healthcare workers were 'not likely' to get the vaccine: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-11/COVID-04-Dooling.pdf

This trial isn’t even scheduled to end until 2023

Isn't that to establish duration of immunity?

If you look at the information for healthcare professionals on this page, it includes the ingredients:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19

Also in Section 6 of the guide for recipients.

@SirChing

Does the staff member know that her medical information and that of her colleagues in being shared?

I have absolutely no idea. But "nameless member of staff has tested positive, unaware they were asymptomatic" is hardly identifying!

I was referring to it being shared amongst families. And how often have you been able to visit your relative on this rehab unit? Are you there 24/7 monitoring staff? Rehab units tend to employ OTs, physios, SALT and a multitude of other HCPs. You up to date on all their attendance pattern and sick leave as well? All staff clock on and off with you personally? So you know every member of staff, their rota and their current status with regards sick leave, carers leave, annual leave, compassionate leave etc?

Complete and utter bullshit but hey don’t let that stop you from having a pop at the imaginary covid super spreading nurse

[quote Remmy123]@MarshaBradyo I imagine because it has been rushed.

I'm quite relieved I'm bottom of the list.[/quote]
Jesus for the last time it hasn't been 'rushed'

@Cosmodian

So we are rolling out a vaccine next week that neither the US or Europe has approved, but it seems that anyone voicing any doubts about this are (on this board) being labelled selfish 'anti vaxxers'. The European Medicines Agency has criticised the hasty approval so I guess they are 'anti vaxxers' too according to some. After the shit show of handling this pandemic I have no faith or confidence in this government to be doing the best thing for us and frankly I wish I lived in a different country.

Who's to say the EMA is right though? In any case, both they and the FDA are expected to approve this vaccine within the month. But I guess you could always emigrate for 3 weeks.

‘f it is only one nurse on the unit and I guess he/she is now isolating it's not rocket science to know who it is. No one would have to share anything’

You do realise that many, many people who are self isolating don’t actually have COVID?

purplefig the data you link to is from the US and so not a survey of NHS staff? Unless I am missing something?

@pinkearedcow

purplefig the data you link to is from the US and so not a survey of NHS staff? Unless I am missing something?

Also the only ref to 37% of "not likely" refers to non-essential workers? Could you cut and paste the part you are referring to as I can't seem to see it. If I am being dense I apologise.

[quote purplefig]Just thought I’d pop on before signing off for the night.

I’ve followed this thread over the course of the day where I’ve had the odd minute and I’m really disappointed with all the “anti vaxxer” comments. I’m not an anti vaxxer in the slightest - I’ve had all the recommended ones up until now. I’m just wary of this vaccine because:

1. MRNA vaccines have not been approved for use before (outside of clinical trials)
2. We don’t know if this vaccine stops you getting the virus, just that it lessens the symptoms in some cases (so I’ve decided at this stage the benefit is not worth the risk for me)
3. I understand why this vaccine has been developed in record time (unlimited funding, and the brainiest brains working collectively etc.) but none of that replaces time. At this stage we just don’t know what the long term side effects are. Hope there won’t be any serious ones, but the fact remains we don’t know. This trial isn’t even scheduled to end until 2023.

I really, really hope I’m being overly cautious.

And as to the assertion that people are lying about knowing NHS employees who don’t want the vaccine - have a read of the survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which found 37% of healthcare workers were 'not likely' to get the vaccine: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2020-11/COVID-04-Dooling.pdf[/quote]
Why can’t you keep your overly cautiousness to yourself instead of repeatedly plopping absolutely unfounded scaremongering shite from irrelevant and downright dodgy sources? Exactly what is your agenda?

Why can’t you keep your overly cautiousness to yourself instead of repeatedly plopping absolutely unfounded scaremongering shite from irrelevant and downright dodgy sources? Exactly what is your agenda?

To be fair the CDC isn't dodgy, it's just that it's in the US and that link doesn't say what @purplefig says it does as far as I can tell!

Ironically CDC seems very much pro vaccine.

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/adults/for-patients/index.html

The MHRA assessors will have been working long hours to get this through, hence the fast approval - although their reward, as civil servants, will be a government pay freeze next year, when the drug company employees will likely receive large bonuses.

I just thought this was worth repeating.

@BinkyBoinky

Is there a full ingredients list for the vaccine? Along with many people I'm allergic to certain vaccines (can't have flu jab) so I'd need to know what's in it before I even consider it.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940566/Information_for_UK_recipients_on_Pfizer_BioNTech_COVID-19_vaccine.pdf