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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri A Christakis
- Editor, JAMA Pediatrics
- Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
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Hu M, Shoaibi A, Feng Y, Lloyd PC, Wong HL, Smith ER, Amend KL, Kline A, Beachler DC, Gruber JF, Mitra M, Seeger JD, Harris C, Secora A, Obidi J, Wang J, Song J, McMahill-Walraven CN, Reich C, McEvoy R, Do R, Chillarige Y, Clifford R, Cooper DD, Forshee RA, Anderson SA. Safety of Ancestral Monovalent BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 Vaccines in US Children Aged 6 Months to 17 Years. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e248192. [PMID: 38656578 PMCID: PMC11043896 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.8192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Active monitoring of health outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination provides early detection of rare outcomes that may not be identified in prelicensure trials. Objective To conduct near-real-time monitoring of health outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination in the US pediatric population. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study evaluated 21 prespecified health outcomes after exposure before early 2023 to BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or NVX-CoV2373 ancestral monovalent COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 6 months to 17 years by applying a near-real-time monitoring framework using health care data from 3 commercial claims databases in the US (Optum [through April 2023], Carelon Research [through March 2023], and CVS Health [through February 2023]). Increased rates of each outcome after vaccination were compared with annual historical rates from January 1 to December 31, 2019, and January 1 to December 31, 2020, as well as between April 1 and December 31, 2020. Exposure Receipt of an ancestral monovalent BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 vaccine dose identified through administrative claims data linked with Immunization Information Systems data. Main Outcomes and Measures Twenty-one prespecified health outcomes, of which 15 underwent sequential testing and 6 were only monitored descriptively due to lack of historical rates. Results Among 4 102 016 vaccinated enrollees aged 6 months to 17 years, 2 058 142 (50.2%) were male and 3 901 370 (95.1%) lived in an urban area. Thirteen of 15 sequentially tested outcomes did not meet the threshold for a statistical signal. Statistical signals were detected for myocarditis or pericarditis after BNT162b2 vaccination in children aged 12 to 17 years and seizure after vaccination with BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 in children aged 2 to 4 or 5 years. However, in post hoc sensitivity analyses, a statistical signal for seizure was observed only after mRNA-1273 when 2019 background rates were selected; no statistical signal was observed when 2022 rates were selected. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of pediatric enrollees across 3 commercial health insurance databases, statistical signals detected for myocarditis or pericarditis after BNT162b2 (ages 12-17 years) were consistent with previous reports, and seizures after BNT162b2 (ages 2-4 years) and mRNA-1273 vaccinations (ages 2-5 years) should be further investigated in a robust epidemiologic study with confounding adjustment. The US Food and Drug Administration concludes that the known and potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Hu
- Acumen LLC, Burlingame, California
| | - Azadeh Shoaibi
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | | | | | - Hui Lee Wong
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Joyce Obidi
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Rose Do
- Acumen LLC, Burlingame, California
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Markowitz LE, Hopkins RH, Broder KR, Lee GM, Edwards KM, Daley MF, Jackson LA, Nelson JC, Riley LE, McNally VV, Schechter R, Whitley-Williams PN, Cunningham F, Clark M, Ryan M, Farizo KM, Wong HL, Kelman J, Beresnev T, Marshall V, Shay DK, Gee J, Woo J, McNeil MM, Su JR, Shimabukuro TT, Wharton M, Keipp Talbot H. COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Work Group: Enhancing vaccine safety monitoring during the pandemic. Vaccine 2024:S0264-410X(23)01505-0. [PMID: 38341293 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.12.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, candidate COVID-19 vaccines were being developed for potential use in the United States on an unprecedented, accelerated schedule. It was anticipated that once available, under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or FDA approval, COVID-19 vaccines would be broadly used and potentially administered to millions of individuals in a short period of time. Intensive monitoring in the post-EUA/licensure period would be necessary for timely detection and assessment of potential safety concerns. To address this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) work group focused solely on COVID-19 vaccine safety, consisting of independent vaccine safety experts and representatives from federal agencies - the ACIP COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical Work Group (VaST). This report provides an overview of the organization and activities of VaST, summarizes data reviewed as part of the comprehensive effort to monitor vaccine safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlights selected actions taken by CDC, ACIP, and FDA in response to accumulating post-authorization safety data. VaST convened regular meetings over the course of 29 months, from November 2020 through April 2023; through March 2023 FDA issued EUAs for six COVID-19 vaccines from four different manufacturers and subsequently licensed two of these COVID-19 vaccines. The independent vaccine safety experts collaborated with federal agencies to ensure timely assessment of vaccine safety data during this time. VaST worked closely with the ACIP COVID-19 Vaccines Work Group; that work group used safety data and VaST's assessments for benefit-risk assessments and guidance for COVID-19 vaccination policy. Safety topics reviewed by VaST included those identified in safety monitoring systems and other topics of scientific or public interest. VaST provided guidance to CDC's COVID-19 vaccine safety monitoring efforts, provided a forum for review of data from several U.S. government vaccine safety systems, and assured that a diverse group of scientists and clinicians, external to the federal government, promptly reviewed vaccine safety data. In the event of a future pandemic or other biological public health emergency, the VaST model could be used to strengthen vaccine safety monitoring, enhance public confidence, and increase transparency through incorporation of independent, non-government safety experts into the monitoring process, and through strong collaboration among federal and other partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauri E Markowitz
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Robert H Hopkins
- National Vaccine Advisory Committee, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Karen R Broder
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Grace M Lee
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Matthew F Daley
- Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Lisa A Jackson
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jennifer C Nelson
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Robert Schechter
- Association of Immunization Managers, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | | | - Francesca Cunningham
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Center for Medication Safety - Pharmacy Benefit Management Services, Hines, IL, USA
| | - Matthew Clark
- Indian Health Service (IHS), IHS National Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Margaret Ryan
- Defense Health Agency, Immunization Healthcare Division, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Karen M Farizo
- Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Hui-Lee Wong
- Office of Biostatistics and Pharmacovigilance, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jeffery Kelman
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tatiana Beresnev
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Valerie Marshall
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David K Shay
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julianne Gee
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jared Woo
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael M McNeil
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John R Su
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tom T Shimabukuro
- Immunization Safety Office, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Melinda Wharton
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Keipp Talbot
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
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Kassianos G, MacDonald P, Aloysius I, Pather S. Responses to Common Misconceptions Relating to COVID-19 Variant-Adapted mRNA Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:57. [PMID: 38250870 PMCID: PMC10819631 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the waning of immunity over time has necessitated the use of booster doses of original coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. This has also led to the development and implementation of variant-adapted messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that include an Omicron sub-lineage component in addition to the antigen based on the wild-type virus spike protein. Subsequent emergence of the recombinant XBB sub-lineages triggered the development of monovalent XBB-based variant-adapted mRNA vaccines, which are available for vaccination campaigns in late 2023. Misconceptions about new variant-adapted vaccines may exacerbate vaccine fatigue and drive the lack of vaccine acceptance. This article aims to address common concerns about the development and use of COVID-19 variant-adapted mRNA vaccines that have emerged as SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kassianos
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London NW1 2FB, UK;
- British Global and Travel Health Association, London NW1 2FB, UK
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Essien UR, Dusetzina SB. Cost-Related Barriers and Ensuring Equitable Access to Vaccines in the US. JAMA Pediatr 2023; 177:1117-1118. [PMID: 37669068 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
This Viewpoint discusses policies toward increasing access to effective COVID-19 vaccines, advancing vaccine equity, strengthening reimbursement policies, and increasing federal incentives for insurers and health systems to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Utibe R Essien
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
- Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation & Policy, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California
| | - Stacie B Dusetzina
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
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Nigro O, Oltolini C, Barzaghi F, Uberti Foppa C, Cicalese MP, Massimino M, Schiavello E. Pediatric cancer care management during the COVID-19 pandemic: a review of the literature and a single-centre real-life experience of an Italian pediatric oncology unit. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2023; 23:927-942. [PMID: 37712347 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2023.2245148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 pandemic significantly affected clinical practice, also in pediatric oncology units. Cancer patients needed to be treated with an adequate dose density despite the SARS-CoV-2 infection, balancing risks of developing severe COVID-19 disease. AREAS COVERED Although the pandemic spread worldwide, the prevalence of affected children was low. The percentage of children with severe illness was approximately 1-6%. Pediatric cancer patients represent a prototype of a previously healthy immune system that is hampered by the tumor itself and treatments, such as chemotherapy and steroids. Through a review of the literature, we reported the immunological basis of the response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, the existing antiviral treatments used in pediatric cancer patients, and the importance of vaccination. In conclusion, we reported the real-life experience of our pediatric oncology unit during the pandemic period. EXPERT OPINION Starting from the data available in literature, and our experience, showing the rarity of severe COVID-19 disease in pediatric patients with solid tumors, we recommend carefully tailoring all the oncological treatments (chemotherapy/targeted therapy/stem cell transplantation/radiotherapy). The aim is the preservation of the treatment's timing, balanced with an evaluation of possible severe COVID-19 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Nigro
- Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Oltolini
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Barzaghi
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit and San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Uberti Foppa
- Unit of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Cicalese
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit and San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Maura Massimino
- Pediatric Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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Foster T, Mooranian A, Al-Salami H. Industry news update, May 2023. Ther Deliv 2023; 14:331-336. [PMID: 37401362 DOI: 10.4155/tde-2023-0043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Foster
- The Biotechnology & Drug Development Research Laboratory, Curtin Medical School & Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, 6102, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Pathwest Laboratory Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, 6000, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Armin Mooranian
- The Biotechnology & Drug Development Research Laboratory, Curtin Medical School & Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, 6102, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Hani Al-Salami
- The Biotechnology & Drug Development Research Laboratory, Curtin Medical School & Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, 6102, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, 6000, Western Australia, Australia
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