Moderna stands by its COVID-19 vaccine after global concerns that vaccination causes rare heart infections in young people.
Seven European nations have either restricted the use of the syringe in adults under 30 years of age or issued a recommendation against its use in the past few weeks.
Data from Swedish health authorities found that young adults – especially men – who received the vaccine were more likely to develop myocarditis than those who received the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, which helped drive decision-making.
Moderna acknowledges these concerns but says the benefits of his shot outweigh any potential risks, and points out that his jab has been most effective to date at preventing infection from COVID-19.
Moderna officials defend the use of its COVID-19 vaccine (pictured) in young people after a number of European countries restricted or recommended it over concerns about heart inflammation
Data from the CDC shows that young men who received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are more likely to develop myocarditis than those who received the Pfizer vaccine. Unpublished data from a Swedish health agency had similar results Pictured: A child in New York City, New York, receives an injection of a COVID-19 vaccine on November 3rd
“Although I think the health authorities are carefully evaluating the data and using caution, you can see that they continue to recommend the use of the mRNA-1273 Moderna vaccine,” said Dr. Paul Burton during a media call Thursday.
‘We believe the risk / benefit balance is extremely positive.’
Earlier this week, a German advisory committee, STIKO, recommended that residents under 30 should pass the Moderna vaccine on and receive the Pfizer vaccine instead.
In doing so, Germany joined a growing group of European nations and advised its younger residents not to receive the vaccine from Moderna, as it was feared that the vaccine would cause heart infections.
The decisions were made based on unpublished data from Swedish health officials who found young Moderna recipients to be at increased risk of heart inflammation compared to those who received the Pfizer vaccine.
Sweden, Denmark and Finland were quick to restrict the use of the Moderna vaccine in young people after reviewing the data.
France and Norway have made a similar recommendation to Germany.
Iceland took the most drastic step and stopped using the Moderna vaccine nationwide.
In the US, health officials have approved the emergency jab approval for all Americans 18 and older, and recently even approved the use of Moderna’s Booster Shot – which is the same serum in a smaller dose.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that vaccination carries an increased risk for young people.
Men under 29 years of age who received the Pfizer (left) or Moderna (right) vaccine have an increased risk of developing myocarditis after the second dose
Women do not have the same risk of developing heart infection as men, even in the younger age groups
The data released by the agency during a consultation session last month showed a slight increase in the risk of heart inflammation in men aged 18 to 24 who received the Moderna vaccine instead of the Pfizer, and a 70 percent increase in the risk in the 25- up to 29 year olds.
According to the CDC data, the risk also exists for women, but is usually insignificant.
However, Moderna officials are defending the sting by pointing out its effectiveness and the fact that it is the most effective covid prevention measure currently available in the US.
Recent data from the Public Health Institute shows that people fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine are, on average, 58 percent less likely to be infected with Covid.
By comparison, Pfizer recipients are 43 percent less likely and Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients are 13 percent protected.
The Moderna vaccine is also widespread in the US, having been given 165 million times and fully vaccinated 71 million people without any major negative trends emerging.
However, the officials cannot yet determine why exactly male Moderna recipients are at greater risk.
The messenger RNA technology used in the jab is the same as in the Pfizer shot.
Some believe that in men, the hormones can interact with the vaccine in ways to produce these negative effects.
“I think this testosterone hypothesis is important,” Burton told reporters.
“We know that there is indeed inflammation related to testosterone.
“We have 100 micrograms of mRNA in the primary series, as you know, so we have slightly higher spike protein levels, and that could be a factor as well.”