World's largest study in COVID vaccine side-effects | ABC News
TLDRThe world's largest study on COVID-19 vaccine side effects, involving 100 million people across eight countries, has revealed rare but significant side effects associated with specific vaccines. The study identified Guillain-Barré syndrome as a rare issue linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine and myocarditis and pericarditis as significant side effects with mRNA vaccines. Additionally, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis was noted with the Moderna vaccine. The findings underscore the importance of transparency in understanding vaccine risks, despite their rarity, and highlight the need for further investigation and potential new treatments for managing these side effects.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The largest study on COVID-19 vaccine side effects involved 99 million people across eight countries, providing reliable data from places like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, and Finland.
- 💉 The study examined side effects from AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, revealing that unexpected side effects did occur but were rare.
- 🔍 The research compared the base rate of health issues in the community to the increased rate post-vaccination to identify significant side effects.
- 🤒 Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare ascending paralysis of the body, was identified as a potential side effect, specifically linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
- 🫀 Myocarditis and pericarditis, inflammations of the heart, were found to be significant side effects associated with mRNA vaccines.
- 🧠 Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a brain inflammation usually seen in children, was noted as a side effect in older adults, specifically with the Moderna vaccine.
- 📈 The study found that out of 10 million doses of AstraZeneca, expected cases of brain inflammation were seven, emphasizing the rarity of side effects.
- 🌐 The scope of the study, though extensive, may not be fully extrapolatable to the rest of the world due to potential genetic differences in populations.
- 🧬 Genetic susceptibilities may vary among different populations, but the study provides a good understanding of side effect risks for similar populations.
- 🩸 Another study highlighted the importance of measuring lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in high-risk individuals as it is a strong risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, comparable to LDL cholesterol.
- 💰 While a simple blood test can determine high-risk levels of Lp(a), it is currently not reimbursed, making it a paid service ranging from $25 to $50.
Q & A
What was the scope of the world's largest study on the side effects of COVID vaccines?
-The study involved nearly 100 million people from eight countries, examining 183 million doses of vaccines, specifically focusing on AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines.
Which countries were part of this extensive study on COVID vaccine side effects?
-The countries involved in the study were Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, and Finland, among others, known for their reliable data.
What were some of the unexpected side effects discovered in the study?
-The study uncovered rare side effects that were not previously anticipated. These included Guillain-Barré syndrome, myocarditis, pericarditis, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis.
How common were the side effects found in the study?
-The side effects were found to be rare, with the study emphasizing that they only selected significant side effects that they were confident were related to the vaccines.
What is Guillain-Barré syndrome and how is it related to the AstraZeneca vaccine?
-Guillain-Barré syndrome is an ascending paralysis of the body that affects the nervous system, usually temporarily. The study found it to be a problem specifically with the AstraZeneca vaccine, not the Pfizer vaccine.
What is myocarditis and pericarditis, and which vaccine were they found to be associated with?
-Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart, and pericarditis is inflammation of the lining around the heart. The study identified these as significant side effects associated with mRNA vaccines.
What is acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and how often did it occur in the study?
-Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is a type of brain inflammation, typically seen in children but observed in older adults in this study. It was found to be associated with the Moderna vaccine, with seven cases out of 10 million doses.
How does the rarity of these side effects impact the perception of vaccine safety?
-The rarity of these side effects underscores the importance of proportionality in understanding vaccine safety. While the risks exist, they are extremely low, and transparency about these risks helps individuals make informed decisions.
Can the findings of this study be extrapolated to the rest of the world's population?
-While there may be genetic susceptibilities that vary in different populations, the study provides a good understanding of the risk of side effects, especially for countries with similar populations to those involved in the study.
What is the significance of measuring Lp(a), a blood fat linked to heart disease and stroke?
-Lp(a) is a blood fat that increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. It is as potent a risk factor as LDL cholesterol and should be measured in people at high risk, as there are ways to reduce levels and new treatments on the horizon.
How can one determine if they are at high risk for heart disease and stroke related to Lp(a)?
-A simple blood test can determine if an individual is at high risk due to elevated Lp(a) levels. However, this test is currently not reimbursed, so it may cost between $25 and $50.
Outlines
🧬 Largest COVID Vaccine Side Effects Study
This paragraph discusses the findings from the world's largest study on the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, involving 99 million participants from eight countries. The study focused on AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines and identified unexpected side effects, all of which were rare. Notably, Guillain-Barré syndrome was associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, while myocarditis and pericarditis were linked to mRNA vaccines. A specific case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis was observed with the Moderna vaccine. The rarity of these side effects was emphasized, with a comparison to the odds of winning the lottery. The study's applicability to the global population was questioned, considering genetic differences, but the data from countries like Australia and Canada was deemed representative for similar populations.
🩸 New Cholesterol Factor for Heart Attack and Stroke Risk
The second paragraph shifts focus to a different study concerning a blood fat known as Lipoprotein(a), which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Despite previous reluctance to measure Lp(a) due to a lack of effective treatments, recent evidence reinforces its significance as an independent risk factor. The availability of new treatments and the simplicity of measuring Lp(a) through a blood test are highlighted. However, the current lack of reimbursement for this test is noted, with costs ranging from $25 to $50.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Covid Vaccines
💡Side Effects
💡AstraZeneca
💡mRNA Vaccines
💡Guillain-Barré Syndrome
💡Myocarditis
💡Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
💡Lipoprotein(a)
💡Cardiovascular Risk Factors
💡Health Risk Assessment
💡Medical Transparency
Highlights
The world's largest study on the side effects of COVID vaccines involved nearly 100 million people from eight countries.
The study examined side effects from AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines, focusing on rare occurrences.
Giant study data came from reliable sources like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, and Finland.
Unexpected side effects were identified, but all were rare.
Gambarel syndrome, an ascending paralysis, was found to be associated only with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Myocarditis and pericarditis, inflammation of the heart, were significant side effects linked to mRNA vaccines.
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, a brain inflammation, was observed with the Moderna vaccine in older adults.
For every 10 million doses of AstraZeneca, seven cases of brain inflammation were observed.
The rarity of side effects was emphasized, akin to winning the lottery three times.
The study's findings are important for transparency and understanding of vaccine risks.
Though the study involved eight countries, its findings may not be directly extrapolated to the entire world population due to genetic differences.
Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a blood fat linked with heart disease and stroke, separate from cholesterol.
Lp(a) increases the risk of heart attack and stroke as potently as LDL cholesterol.
Measuring Lp(a) is simple through a blood test, but not currently reimbursed, making it a cost to the patient.
There are new treatments on the horizon for high-risk individuals with elevated Lp(a) levels.
The study underscores the importance of monitoring side effects and understanding the risks associated with COVID vaccines.
The research provides a comprehensive analysis of the safety and side effects of widely used COVID vaccines.
The findings from the study are expected to influence future vaccination strategies and policies.
Transcripts
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