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Late last week in Mrbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers published the first clinical safety data on Arexvy and Abrysvo vaccines, the first approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, and found real-world data mimics what was seen in trials, including a very small increased risk in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).
GBS is an immune system disorder that occurs when the immune system attacks nerves. It is characterized by numbness and tingling in the body, including paralysis. GBS can follow bacterial or viral infections, and, rarely, following vaccination.
Arexvy and Abrysvo, made by GSK and Pfizer, respectively, were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2023 for use in adults 60 and older to prevent RSV infections.
28 cases of GBS reported
From August 4, 2023, to March 30, 2024, at least 10.6 million US adults aged 60 years and older received a recommended RSV vaccine. The study is based on reports made to both V-safe and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) from May 3, 2023, through April 14, 2024.
"Among the 16,220 V-safe participants aged ≥60 years who reported receiving an RSV vaccine and completed one or more daily surveys, 39.0% reported at least one symptom after vaccination; 0.4% of participants reported receiving medical care," the authors said.
Over ninety percent of events in VAERS were classified as nonserious. However, VAERS included 28 reports of GBS that met case definition, including 11 (39.3%) after Arexvy vaccine (1.5 reports per 1 million doses administered), and 17 (60.3%) after Abrysvo (5.0 reports per 1 million doses administered).
CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and FDA are conducting active safety evaluations to assess risks for GBS and other adverse events of special interest after RSV vaccination.
"CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and FDA are conducting active safety evaluations to assess risks for GBS and other adverse events of special interest after RSV vaccination. Results of these studies will help guide future CDC RSV vaccine recommendations," the authors concluded.