US FDA investigating allergic reactions to Pfizer's COVID vaccine, indicates the 'culprit'

The United States Food and Drug Administration on December 18 said that it is investigating the five allergic reactions that were experienced by people on being administered with Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country just this week. In a press conference, a top FDA official said that the allergic reactions that were reported in more than one US state including Alaska. 

The director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Dr. Peter Marks said that a chemical called the polyethene glycol (PEG) which is an ingredient in Pfizer as well as Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate “could be the culprit” causing adverse reactions, as both vaccines are authorised in the country.  Moreover, the top FDA official noted that the allergic reactions to PEG could b somehow more common than the medical professionals previously derived. 

The cases in Alaska, US were reportedly similar to the ones reported in Britain just last week as more and more nations begin vaccination to the highly-infectious disease after being rocked with the pandemic for nearly a year. After analysis, the UK’s medical regulator had concluded that individuals who had a history of anaphylaxis or severe allergic reactions to medicine or food should be avoided inoculated with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate. However, US FDA has said that most Americans with allergies are safe to receive the immunisation only advising the people who have witnessed adverse reactions to vaccines or ingredients in particular to avoid the doses. 

On December 18, FDA reportedly also said that the Moderna vaccine should not be injected to the individuals with an identified history of severe allergic reactions to any components of the shot. Meanwhile, as per reports, the US regulator is also putting together the required medical treatments for immediate allergic reactions while the shots are being administered among the people. 

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Americans Can't Take Legal Action Against Pfizer, Moderna

As the US became the first nation of authorising two COVID-19 vaccine candidates for emergency use, the citizens cannot take any legal action against Pfizer or Moderna’s developed vaccines against coronavirus on experiencing any side effects. As per a CNBC report, lawyers have flagged how the US law offers no one to blame if any individual witnesses adverse effects of the vaccine after inoculation. Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna are immune from any liability if anything goes wrong.

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