National Institutes Of Health Examines Allergic Reactions To COVID-19 Vaccines

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Wednesday a clinical trial was underway to determine the risk of allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer.

A press release from the National Institutes of Health says the trial will determine whether people are highly allergic to the vaccine or have a disorder that puts them at an increased risk for an immediate, systemic allergic reaction to the vaccine.

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While the vaccines are considered safe, several rare allergic reaction incidents — including serious episodes, known as anaphylaxis — have been reported in the U.S. after Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots were given.

The trial will also examine the biological mechanism behind allergic reactions in the body and whether a certain genetic pattern or other factors can be used to predict high-risk recipients.

"The information gathered during this trial will help doctors advise people who are highly allergic or have a mast cell disorder about the risks and benefits of receiving these two vaccines. However, for most people, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far outweigh the risks," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH, said in the statement.

NIH says a mast cell disorder is a disease caused by a type of white blood cell called a mast cell that is abnormal, overly active, or both, predisposing a person to life-threatening reactions.

The Phase 2 trial, called Systemic Allergic Reactions to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination, is sponsored and funded by NIAID.

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The vaccines used in the trial are provided by the program led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Defense that develops COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

The study will include 3,400 adults ages 18 to 69 at up to 35 academic allergy research centers nationwide. (VOA/KB)