Operation Warp Speed’s chief scientific advisor said the frequency of allergic reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is higher than what would be expected for other injections, a report said.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui said the last time he was aware of allergic reactions was Tuesday, when there were six cases, adding that data on COVID-19 immunizations falls short of the actual numbers, CNN reported.
“That frequency, as it appeared yesterday, is superior to what you would expect from other vaccines,” he said.
Slaoui said talks are underway between the vaccine makers and the National Institutes of Health to consider conducting clinical trials of vaccines in highly allergic populations, such as people who must always carry an EpiPen anti-allergy drug.
On Monday, an official from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said the US is investigating why some people have suffered serious allergic reactions shortly after receiving the Pfizer injection.
Alkis Togias, chief of the NIAID’s division of allergy, asthma and respiratory biology, told CNBC that “several hundred people” with a history of serious allergic reactions will be included in an investigation.