You are here

Live/inactivated vaccines and CML-Covid 19 vaccines

Categories:

Hi All,

The subject of whether CML patients should risk being offered live vaccines has arisen before on Forum largely in the context of those proposing to travel to Yellow Fever infected regions and I have mentioned  before about my decline of the shingles vaccine ;I have been very much following the medical advice of my specialist whom I respect for his professional knowledge and practice who gave me strong advice as a CML patient to avoid live vaccines.

Given current news about the further development of Covid 19 vaccines and the concluding Phase 3 trials for many of them plus the likely or hopeful launch in UK in the coming months it did occur to me to check if these are inactivated or not.I am not a vaccine specialist nor have any medical qualifications but I have gleaned that there are about six or seven main types of vaccine or methods of approach .

The specific vaccine that has caught the news for some time is the Oxford/Astra Zenica one where 60 million doses have been risked to manufacture even prior to Phase 3 conclusions-named AZD 1222.However it seems that the one that has recently been declared about 90% effective  is the Pfizer/BioNTech product and will be offered to us in UK we hope.Those with any form of compromised immune system no doubt will be in the early priority groups.

I came across a media/pharma report that stated that none of the early Covid 19 vaccines being tested by Moderna,Pfizer/BioNTech,Astra Zenica or Johnson and Johnson are based on live weakened virus versions-as for measles,mumps,rubella,MMR,nasal flu,chicken pox, shingles etc.

Pfizer is the (memory) RNA version ( the same methodology was used with developing anti cancer vaccines/immunotherapy);Astra Zenica and Johnson and Johnson are the  non replicating vectored vaccines.

There still are issues about for instance whether with increasing age one is getting as much protection as for younger age groups plus how long immunity would last for and so on.

It is for individuals to decide whether to go ahead or not but my response is that I am pleased that we will be offered inactivated vaccines rather than to have to decide whether or not to take a live weakened virus version.

As usual in your responses we would respect your personal decision but please avoid the politics and if possible concentrate on the medicine.

Has anyone else given this topic their thoughts?

With best wishes

John

Hi John,

yes this is a subject that I have been thinking about for some time. You might find the following article helpful. I think it really depends on the individual's immune status as to whether live vaccines and the possible side effects of such, are worth the risk. I am certainly not expert in this area but it is my understanding - so far - that the Pfizer vaccination against CV-19 is based on mRNA. 

Also interesting stuff on link below on possible effects of BCG vaccine (used for many decades, cheap and available) and updates derivatives, against CV-19. German clinical trials are recruiting now.

https://www.dw.com/en/whats-the-science-on-dna-and-rna-vaccines/a-54097063 

scroll down to see video title: COVID-19 Special: Old vaccine, new tricks

Sandy

 

Hi John

Yes, the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine in the news this week is messenger RNA based - as indeed is the Imperial College one. Scientifically, that's pretty exciting as its new technology. On the plus side, relatively easy to make lots of it.  On the down side, you need two doses and it needs storage at minus 70 Celsius until the day of usage, which makes the logistics complicated but doable. 

The Oxford/AstraZeneca one uses an inactivated (non replicating) chimpanzee viral vector to expose the immune system to the SARS-Cov2 virus spike protein.  I did read that the Sinovac vaccine, trials of which have just been stopped in Brazil (perhaps temporarily) uses classical weakened virus vaccine technology but I've not read that the UK is going to get any of that.

According to the JCVI, the priority groups for vaccination (subject to review) are here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavir...

Formally, I come in at no 6 (high risk adults under 65).  There are 5 groups above, essentially age based.  I would imagine that the relevant authorities in conjunction with clinicians will ensure that where relevant the right vaccine is given to the right individuals, based on likely immune response etc.  In my case, as my CML has been under what looks like total control for over a decade, I'd be happy to receive either the Pfizer or AZ one (and no doubt others using the same technology and which are authorised - in our case - by the MHRA).

Fingers crossed we may see a move towards normality in the not too distant future.

Best, Richard