Regulators warning over possible allergic reaction to Pfizer jab if you have significant allergies

[CrunchyCarrot]

UK regulators warn people with history of 'significant' allergic reactions not to have Pfizer/BioNTech jab

Saw this flash up on the news just now.

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-vaccine-uk-regulators-warn-people-with-history-of-significant-allergic-reactions-not-to-have-pfizer-biontech-jab-12155916

Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England, said: "As is common with new vaccines the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination after two people with a history of significant allergic reactions responded adversely yesterday. Both are recovering well."

Something to consider if you do have significant allergies.

@Badbackbernie

OpheliasCrayon sounds like that was a close call.

Well I was hesitating because I have inflammatory bowel disease along with inflammatory arthritis and with IBD all NSAIDs are contraindicated. I was told since I've literally no options left this one is better for your stomach. But I was worried about it causing a flare I couldn't stop. I read the info and it said not to take If you have IBD but all my doctors (including gastro) had said if the pain is severe enough to do it. So I was very tempted to try as my pain is awful and I'm struggling at work . Last minute I read it one more time and noticed what I did and so obviously that's answered all my questions that I just can't take it. But I had only decided at the last minute to read the info as I was just about to try it as I'd had a very long chat with my GP who had explained everything and decided it would be a good idea to try. So yes, very very close call there. Still a bit shaken up to be honest at what would have happened.

It’s worrying for elderly people having to rely on the due diligence of people that are caring for them to not miss any notes that may say they maybe allergic in some capacity to the vaccine.

I don’t want to take the shine of the vaccine as I have elderly family members who are desperate to have it but it could be catastrophic if not approached correctly.

Around 250,000 people in the U.K. use epipens. I hope they are told and made fully aware of this finding.

FFS they say this for all vaccines!

I’d also be really interested to know if the NHS workers who had a severe reaction used epipens as if they didn’t the advice not to have the vaccine if you use them isn’t really in the scope of safety measures.

@Badbackbernie

I’d also be really interested to know if the NHS workers who had a severe reaction used epipens as if they didn’t the advice not to have the vaccine if you use them isn’t really in the scope of safety measures.

They did use them yes it's in that news report.

Bit of a shame that they didn't flag up the ingredients beforehand. Or would that be unusual? Don't they usually ask if you have any allergies before jabbing you? They did with my flu jab last week!

OpheliasCrayon what are you using now for pain relief? Sounds bloody awful.

@Circumlocutious Also to add...is this belated warning symptomatic of the MHRA having somewhat 'rushed' their approval of the vaccine? I'd be curious to see how thorough the FDA guidance is after they approve the Pfizer vaccine.

I think the FDA are probably very thorough, there was a big scandal with children being infected with polio from a vaccine back in the 50s. It wasn't because it wasn't tested properly, a batch just wasn't prepared properly but it must have damaged confidence in the vaccines in the US. Just like this will make some people who were already a bit nervous about the vaccine think twice. It is unfortunate but hopefully as time goes on confidence will increase.

I'm allergic to dust, can be quite dramatic, I wonder if that is an issue. I've never had an allergic reaction to anything else and I don't suppose they put dust in it but it does illustrate how it can make you stop and think.

Prof Peter Openshaw, past-President of the British Society for Immunology and Professor of Experimental Medicine at Imperial College London, said:

“As with all food and medications, there is a very small chance of an allergic reaction to any vaccine. However, it is important that we put this risk in perspective. The occurrence of any allergic reaction was one of the factors monitored in the phase 3 clinical trial of this Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the detailed data from which was released yesterday (1). In this, they reported a very small number of allergic reactions in both the vaccine and placebo groups (0.63% and 0.51%).

“Similar to the rollout of all new vaccines and medications, this new COVID-19 vaccine is being monitored closely by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). They will now investigate these cases in more detail to understand if the allergic reactions were linked to the vaccine or were incidental. The fact that we know so soon about these two allergic reactions and that the regulator has acted on this to issue precautionary advice shows that this monitoring system is working well.”

(1) www.fda.gov/media/144245/download

www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-reports-of-allergic-reaction-in-two-healthcare-workers-who-had-a-history-of-serious-allergies-and-who-received-the-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine/

I have the flu jab every year, had the pneumonia jab last year, wasn't asked about allergies either time.

Anyone got any info on whether the Oxford vaccine has different ingredients or was tested on people with allergies?

I agree this is such a good example of why everyone that can really must get vaccinated. We need to get the levels down so that people are protected.

My dsis has extremely bad IBS so has said she won’t now have this vaccine. My dd (13, so not in this round or forseeable) doesn’t carry a pen but previously had an allergy that was linked to anaphylaxis. It’s disappeared now thankfully. She’s had other vaccines with no issues so I’d also be interested if the ingredients that have been reacted to are common in other vaccines ?

I'd don't know for certain until the official reason is given, but my money is on PEG (polyethylene glycol), which is one of the 4 fats that makes up the nanoparticle that envelopes the mRNA.

@Badbackbernie

OpheliasCrayon what are you using now for pain relief? Sounds bloody awful.

Absolutely fucking nothing. There's nothing I can take now. I'm at my wit's end. Have another appointment with pain management consultant in a week or so but he was the one who suggested that drug as a last resort so .... I think I'm at the end of the road of what I can do. Live with it I guess.

As someone mentioned, latex allergy is an issue with vaccinations. I get the flu jab and GP has to order a certain type for me which guarantees no latex in the syringe tip/stopper.
Pharmacies won’t give out private flu jab if you have latex allergy as they only use one brand usually which doesn’t guarantee no latex.

I can’t see anywhere a list of ingredients for Oxford vaccine to see if PEG is included ?

OpheliasCrayon oh god that awful

I have the flu jab every year, had the pneumonia jab last year, wasn't asked about allergies either time.

Whilst they probably should ask, they don't always but when you go to a pharmacy to have it, it's on the form they ask you to sign, so you have to read it and give signed consent to having the jab anyway. That's what's happened every time I've had the flu vac anyway.

would that include pencillin allergy-my df had a small reaction once hes keen to get the vaccine and im not sure he should now

@NaturalBigDarkBrows

FFS they say this for all vaccines!

No they don't.

I have a severe nut allergy. I'm always asked about allergies before vaccinations (flu jab, whooping cough when pregnant) but I'm always told I'm fine to have those ones. I've never been told not to have a vaccine because I have a severe allergy before.

Perhaps they will refine the advice once they’ve worked out what the reaction is to.

It's interesting that the placebo group also had a small number of allergic reactions, suggesting it might be about the way it is administered/substances about the containment, and not about the vaccine content itself.

Or people do have allergic reactions due to other things on lots of days and there's always a chance they will have one on the day they go for a vaccination (but not related to that).

The difference between the groups doesn't look (eyeballing it!) very significant, but in a larger population, perhaps it would be.

@Badbackbernie

OpheliasCrayon oh god that awful

Well it's ok! I've had covid and it was really mild! So that's something !

@tootyfruitypickle

I can’t see anywhere a list of ingredients for Oxford vaccine to see if PEG is included ?

Can't say for definite but it doesn't involve lipid nanoparticles like the mRNA vaccines do so I imagine it won't have PEG in it. I'm sure they'll release the ingredients if licensed though.

@JS87 that’s hopeful then! I’ve just read a few US sites worrying about PEG too so perhaps it is that .