Regulator warns of small risk of serious condition in people having RSV jab
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare but serious condition which needs urgent treatment in hospital to prevent it progressing.
It can affect people's senses, movement, breathing and heartbeat – usually starting in the arms and legs before spreading to other areas.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a drug alert for the Abrysvo (made by Pfizer) and Arexvy (GSK) vaccines for RSV after they were linked to 21 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults aged 60 and over.
However, the Commission on Human Medicines still advises that 'the benefits of vaccination against RSV outweigh the small risk of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome in older adults'.
In its alert, the MHRA said: 'Healthcare professionals should advise all recipients of Abrysvo and Arexvy that they should be alert to signs and symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome and, if they occur, to seek immediate medical attention as it requires urgent treatment in hospital.'
It warned staff to be alert to the signs and symptoms of the syndrome.
It added that there is currently no evidence of an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome in pregnant women following vaccination with Abrysvo, the only RSV vaccine approved for use during pregnancy.
The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus, which can make older adults and babies seriously ill.
RSV can cause bronchiolitis in babies which can cause breathing problems, while it can cause pneumonia in older people, both of which may require hospital stays.
The Pfizer RSV vaccine Abrysvo is currently offered on the NHS to adults aged 75 to 79 and to pregnant women.
The GSK RSV vaccine Arexvy is not currently available on the NHS but may be available privately in the UK.
Symptoms of Guillain-Barre syndrome can include tingling, numbness or pins and needles in feet and hands, muscle weakness and difficulty moving joints.
There may also be problems breathing and drooping face muscles or trouble swallowing or speaking.
Up to June 2, the MHRA has received 21 Yellow Card reports of suspected Guillain-Barre syndrome in older adults (aged 75-79 where known) following Abrysvo.
This is in the context of over 1.9 million doses of Abrysvo administered, it said.
Over the same time period, the MHRA has not received any Yellow Card reports of suspected Guillain-Barre syndrome following Arexvy, however there has been very limited use of this vaccine in the UK to date.
In the US, one study suggested Abrysvo and Arexvy were associated with nine and seven excess Guillain-Barre syndrome cases per million vaccine doses administered, respectively.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
Norwich hedgehog rescuer asks for help to keep animals hydrated
A man who has rescued hedgehogs for 30 years has urged people to leave shallow bowls of water outside to help keep the animals hydrated during the Claxton, 79, from Norwich, said the high temperatures had led to an increase in dehydrated mother hedgehogs abandoning their also asked the public to check long grass for hedgehogs before using lawnmowers or grass strimmers."Hedgehogs are like all mammals, we're dependent on water. But hedgehogs are far more dependent than other mammals," Mr Claxton said. "If they don't get sufficient water taken on board each night, the risk is that [their] organs start to shut down."The UK is experiencing its third heatwave of the summer, with temperatures rising above 30C across the country. Mr Claxton set up TSA Rescue in Norwich and learned to care for hedgehogs after he found one that was injured 30 years later undertook training at Vale Wildlife Hospital. He said that dehydration and injuries from grass-cutting equipment were the two main reasons hedgehogs were being brought to him for treatment. "[Hedgehogs] need to take on fluid to feed their young because it gets to a stage whereby they can't [provide the fluids due to dehydration], then the mother will say, my survival comes first," he is currently hand-rearing four hoglets, believing their mother abandoned them due to a lack of in a 2022 State of Britain's Hedgehogs report estimated there had been a loss of between a third and three-quarters of the hedgehog population nationally in the last two decades "I get some [hedgehogs with] injuries [from grass-cutting equipment] where they remove part of the head - I get injuries where they remove part of the legs," he said it made him "angry" when he saw hedgehogs coming in with these kinds of injuries and urged people to check for sleeping hedgehogs before using a grass strimmer."Please don't just use the strimmer straight away because the injuries they cause are simply horrendous," he said. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
What is fexofenadine? The hay fever pill that could save your summer
The latest box that Amol Rajan has ticked on his busy to-do list is finding a cure for hay fever. Well, sort of. The University Challenge quizmaster, Today programme host and summertime sneezer has been singing the praises online of a pill called fexofenadine — and has been inundated with messages of gratitude from fellow sufferers on Instagram and TikTok. About a quarter of the population suffers from hay fever, although the charity Allergy UK says levels are rising, with as many as 49 per cent of people now reporting symptoms. Rajan's followers, however, say 'fex' has relieved them of theirs. So what is it and how does it compare with other allergy drugs? The most commonly taken hay fever medications are both antihistamines: cetirizine (often sold under the brand names Benadryl or Piriteze) and loratadine (Clarityn). They work by stopping you feeling the effects of histamine — the chemical your body releases during an allergic reaction. This chemical causes the runny nose, sneezing and itchy, watery eyes. • Why nature isn't to blame for your hay fever hell These pills make you less drowsy than older generations of antihistamine such as chlorphenamine (Piriton), they last longer and are less likely to disrupt the important REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep. Cetirizine and chlorphenamine are generally faster-acting than loratadine, both taking effect within an hour compared with up to three hours, but loratadine can last for up to 24 hours. Cetirizine can also last all day but is slightly more likely to cause drowsiness than loratadine. Chlorphenamine lasts up to six hours. Fexofenadine is also an antihistamine, but has only been available over the counter since December 2020. It is generally the least sedating of the antihistamines and lasts for 24 hours. It can cost more than cetirizine or loratadine, but buying a branded version such as Allevia (£12.49 for 30 tablets at Boots) is unnecessary. 'Generic versions are cheaper and equally effective,' says Dr Chris Rutkowski, a consultant allergist at OneWelbeck in London. 'When looking at a label you should focus on the active ingredient rather than a brand.' The active ingredient is fexofenadine hydrochloride, which, despite the glowing reports sent to Rajan, is no more potent than the other histamine blockers. 'All antihistamines work a little differently in different people and it's worth trying a few to see which suits you, but they are really pretty similar,' says Professor Adam Fox, chairman of the National Allergy Strategy Group. • Will genetically modified rice end hay fever misery for millions? Fexofenadine is suitable for most people aged six and above. If the single 120g adult dose isn't working for you, talk to your pharmacist or GP about a larger dose. There are very few people who cannot take antihistamines but if you have glaucoma, prostate issues, a heart condition or are on certain medications it's best to check with your GP first. 'Side-effects for fexofenadine are typically mild,' Fox says, but they can include those of the other antihistamines: dry mouth, nausea, headaches. Adding a steroid nasal spray may help some sufferers. For serious cases Rutkowski says to consider sublingual immunotherapy (Slit), where a small amount of pollen is placed under the tongue. • How to exercise when you suffer from hay fever Alternatively Fox recommends asking your GP about prescription-only tablets such as Grazax and Itulazax, which treat grass and tree pollen allergies respectively.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Millions suffer from this simple issue with their ears. Failing to tackle it puts your mental and physical health at risk - so why has the NHS stopped offering treatment to all who need it?
For three years Audrey Houghton's world shrunk: she stopped going to keep fit classes, volunteering – even socialising. This wasn't due to physical infirmity or depression: it was all because of a build-up of earwax.
