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Vaccine Benefits “Far Outweigh” Rare Risks – Expert Reaction
The Ministry of Health has released advice from a review into a New Zealand woman’s death, which occurred after receiving a Pfizer vaccine.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board advised health professionals and the public to be aware of the signs of myocarditis, known to be a rare side effect of the Pfizer vaccine. However, the case is still before the Coroner, with the cause of death still to be confirmed.
The SMC asked experts to comment.
Professor Graham Le Gros, Immunologist, Director Malaghan Institute of Medical Research; and Programme Director Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand – Ohu Kaupare Huaketo, comments:
“This is a terrible event and my thoughts go to the family affected.
“It is still too early to say whether it is connected to the vaccine or to some other issue. We must wait for the Coroner’s report to be completed before any conclusions are made.
“We know already there is significant risk of myocarditis occurring following infection with the COVID-19 virus in some patients. There is a much smaller risk of people developing myocarditis following a vaccine, with there being NO (zero) deaths in the 1226 reports of myocarditis after mRNA in the US from Jan-June 2021.
“However, we should be concerned, and we should investigate and determine what the factors are that led to this tragic event.”
Conflict of interest statement: Professor Le Gros is Programme Director of the Government-funded Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand – Ohu Kaupare Huaketo, a partnership between the Malaghan Institute, the University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington.
Associate Professor James Ussher, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, comments:
“This is a dreadfully sad and unfortunate case, and represents one of the first deaths in the world from myocarditis following vaccination with an mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna).
“Myocarditis has been identified as a rare side effect following vaccination with the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. An Israeli study that has just been published reported that myocarditis occurred in 2.7 per 100,000 persons vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. Of note, the same study found that the risk of myocarditis with COVID-19 was 4 times higher (11.0 per 100,000 persons infected).
“Hundreds of millions of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been administered globally. To date, the vast majority of cases of myocarditis following vaccination with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines have been mild, with resolution of both symptoms and inflammation with anti-inflammatories.
“The benefits of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 far outweigh the risks, with recent data from the United States showing a massive 25-fold reduction in the risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 in vaccinated individuals.”
Conflict of interest statement: “I’m on the Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group.”
Associate Professor Ussher is Science Director of the Government-funded Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand – Ohu Kaupare Huaketo, a partnership between the University of Otago, the Malaghan Institute and Victoria University of Wellington.
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